STATE OF MILITARY FAMILIES IN CANADA ISSUES FACING REGULAR FORCE MEMBERS AND THEIR FAMILIES August 2018 STATE OF MILITARY FAMILIES IN CANADA ISSUES FACING REGULAR FORCE MEMBERS AND THEIR FAMLIES Lynda Manser, Researcher and Author Senior Manager, Research and Strategic Program Development Military Family Services Deputy Director, Comprehensive Military Family Plan Canadian Forces Morale and Welfare Services
[email protected] CITATION INFORMATION Manser, L. (2018). State of Military Families in Canada: Issues Facing Regular Force Members and Their Families. Ottawa, ON: Canadian Forces Morale and Welfare Services. Canadian Forces Morale and Welfare Services Department of National Defence / Government of Canada August 2018 Abstract To inform the development of the Comprehensive Military Family Plan as part of Canada’s Defence Policy, STRONG SECURE ENGAGED, Canadian Forces Morale and Welfare Services reviewed the most recent Canadian research to accurately detail the issues currently facing Canadian military families. In summary, there are 63,269 Regular Force members posted in Canada. More than half of all RegF personnel posted in Canada are under the age of 35 (54%) or have less than 11 years of service (54%). Combined, those under the age of 35 with less than 11 years of service represent 44% of all RegF personnel posted in Canada. Almost half of all Regular Force members are single (44%, of which 8% have dependent family members), and just over half (56%) are in a legal relationship (married or common-law). Almost half of all Regular Force members posted in Canada (47%) have children. In addition to the 63,269 Regular Force members posted in Canada, there are 94,279 other family members (including spouses = 34,906, children = 57,639 and other family dependants = 1,734).