A new survey highlights persistent mental health pressures among military-connected teenagers, emphasising the need for early, targeted support in schools to address overlapping issues like food insecurity and emotional distress amid a broader national adolescent mental health crisis.
A new survey from the National Military Family Association suggests that military-connected teenagers continue to face serious mental health pressures, with 22% reporting low well-being, nearly 30% saying they had thought about self-harm in the previous six months and 16% saying they had harmed themselves at least once in that period. Yet the report also pointed to a measure of resilience: 70% of respondents said their well-being was moderate. Even so, around 2% of the roughly 800 teens surveyed said they had made a suicide plan in the previous three months, while more than a third reported some level of food insecurity over the previous month. According to NMFA, this marks the fifth consecutive year in which military teens have experienced food insecurity at higher rates than civilian peers.
The findings land against a broader national backdrop of adolescent distress. The Centres for Disease Control and Prevention says 40% of students reported persistent sadness or hopelessness and 20% seriously considered suicide, underscoring that poor mental health is not confined to military families. The CDC has argued that schools can help by strengthening health education, building safer and more supportive environments, improving access to services and increasing students’ sense of connection through mentoring, clubs and other relationships.
But NMFA and education experts say military-connected teens carry a distinct burden. The organisation says these young people typically experience multiple deployments, repeated permanent change-of-station moves and several school changes, while some also live with wounded parents and take on caregiving responsibilities. Besa Pinchotti, the association’s chief executive, said in a briefing that military children’s well-being remains consistently below that of civilian peers, and argued that trusted adults in school – especially coaches and teachers – can make a meaningful difference.
Speakers on the briefing stressed that schools should not wait for behavioural problems or attendance issues to emerge before intervening. Jena Kubiak of San Diego County’s Office of Education said extracurriculars such as sport and music can help build connection, while Gayle Mills of National University’s Harmony Academy said schools should treat support systems as preventative rather than reactive. Dan Dunham of the Virginia Department of Education said districts first need to identify military families quickly so that support can be targeted early, particularly for younger pupils, before stress becomes entrenched.
The survey, conducted in late 2025 and early 2026, was weighted towards older teens: 83% of respondents were aged 13 to 18, the average age was 16, 59% were girls or young women and 69% were White. The association’s earlier 2024 survey also found that 35% of military teens reported low mental well-being, compared with 8% of civilian teens, and that 13% who said they needed mental health support could not access it. NMFA said food insecurity and mental health strain often overlap, with teens from food-insecure households far more likely to report low well-being.
Disclaimer: This content is for informational purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical judgment, advice, diagnosis, or treatment.
