November 2026 marks National Veterans and Military Families Month, a time to honor the service, sacrifice, strength, and resilience of military families across the nation. While service members wear the uniform, their families share many of the demands and challenges of military life, including deployments, frequent relocations, extended separations, long-distance relationships, atypical parenting and childcare arrangements, and the difficulties of building careers and maintaining stable routines. Throughout the year, military families adapt to these challenges while providing unwavering support to their loved ones in uniform. Their strength and commitment are essential to military readiness, the nation’s defense, and the broader military community, making their contributions deserving of recognition and appreciation.

National Veterans and Military Families Month 2026 also provides an opportunity for communities, organizations, and individuals to demonstrate meaningful gratitude and support for military families. Recognizing their contributions can mean more than simply saying thank you; it can include listening to their experiences, learning more about military family life, supporting military-connected organizations, and helping ensure families have access to the resources and opportunities they need to thrive. By acknowledging both the unique challenges military families face and the vital role they play, communities can help ensure that these families know that their service, sacrifices, and everyday contributions are valued.

Here are some books, both fiction and nonfiction, that give a bit more insight into military family life:

The emotional cycle of deployment : understanding the emotional cycle and its impact on military families by Allison Bratton

The league of wives : the untold story of the women who took on the U.S. Government to bring their husbands home by Heath Hardage Lee

Home front by Kristin Hannah

The secret to southern charm : a novel by Kristy Woodson Harvey

The second half, a novel by Lauraine Snelling

War Stories by Gordon Korman

The unwilling by John Hart

The Howe dynasty : the untold story of a military family and the women behind Britain’s wars for America by Julie Flavell