Military OneSource Highlights Commitment to Military in ‘Our Promise to You’

By Lisa Ferdinando DoD News, Defense Media Activity

WASHINGTON, Nov. 29, 2017 — Around the world, day or night, service members and their families have access to the free, confidential resources at Military OneSource to obtain support in a variety of areas.

Military life can get complicated with its unique challenges, frequent moves, deployments and long separations from family, Julie Blanks, the acting deputy assistant secretary of defense, military community and family policy, said.

Those complications can have an impact on force readiness, she said, underscoring the importance of the resources offered through Military OneSource, a Defense Department-funded program.

"Military OneSource has one mission -- to stand ready and serve as the one source connecting service members and their families to their best [military life],” Blanks said.

‘Our Promise to You’

As part of its commitment to service members and their families, Erika Slaton, a Military OneSource program analyst, said the program launched the “Our Promise to You” initiative that is featured prominently on the website.

“Our promise is to be that one source that stands ready to assist the military community — giving service members and their families the expert support and information they need,” she said.

The commitment includes being available 24/7 to service members and their families, Slaton said. “We have the answers that they can depend on -- our sole mission is them.”

Military OneSource offers resources in areas to include deployment support, education and employment, language translation, health and wellness, morale and recreation, relationships and stress management, resilience tools to include confidential nonmedical counseling, personal finance counseling and MilTax free tax services.

Support is Available 24/7

The ‘Our Promise to You’ initiative is aimed at spreading the word about the myriad of resources available to service members and their families, Slaton said, pointing out that while Military OneSource is effective, research indicates there is a lack of awareness of the program.

“All of Military OneSource services are completely free for service members and their families,” she said. “We want them to know that they can access Military OneSource via the call center [at 800-324-9647] or the website, 24/7, no matter where they live or serve,” she said.

Those eligible for Military OneSource resources include active-duty service members, National Guardsmen and reservists, new veterans, military families and survivors. Slaton recommends checking out the website for further information on resources and eligibility.