Family Development Support Need and Potential Within Naval Community

Abstract

Navy families are, first and foremost, American families. These families, like their civilian counterparts, have experienced social environmental pressures which have required that they change many of their long held attitudes and behavior patterns regarding family purpose, expectations and roles (Hunter cited in Orthner & Chandler, 1980). The military system was, until this century, for example, research indicates that while the first term recruits tend to be single, the majority of reenlistments are by married personnel. Indeed, 80% of those Navy personnel generally classified as career-oriented are married (Eyre, 1908). The families of these Navy personnel impact on military readiness and on sailors' commitment to naval careers. research has shown that the wife's attitude about the Navy lifestyle is the "crucial variable in the retention equation"--that is, the decision of both officers and enlisted personnel are strongly affected by her views (Final Report: Navy, 1978). These wives are less traditional than previous generations and they are less willing to subjugate family needs to military demands. This attitude, shared by more and more service members themselves, has required a reappraisal of the family's role in military policy.