National Guard Service Members’ Perceptions of Informal and Formal Supports: An Exploratory Study

Much of the research on military families has focused on active duty service members. Little is known about informal and formal supports that National Guard service members use. Using an ecological systems perspective, this exploratory pilot study assessed awareness, access, use, satisfaction, and perceptions of effectiveness of informal and formal supports in a small group of National Guard service members. Results indicate that although service members are aware of many formal and informal supports, use of many of the supports is limited. Additionally, satisfaction and perceptions of effectiveness of many supports is neutral. The implications of these results are discussed.