New app helps military families chart a 'life path'
Published: October 11, 2012
The National Military Family Association on Thursday launched a new app to answer questions and help military families find support as they navigate deployments, education, retirement and other major life events.
The app, free and available for iPhone and Android, is called MyMilitaryLife. So far, only three “life paths” are active: spouse education, deployment and separation or retirement. More paths, such as moving and caring for an injured spouse, will be activated in the coming months, said Mary Scott, chairwoman of the National Military Family Association’s board.
The app allows users to create an account and profile, and is designed to give families local, customized information, Scott said. It also offers due date reminders, notices of new programs, emergency phone numbers and customized to-do lists.
Eventually, users will be able to choose from 11 “life paths” that lead to topics within those content areas. For example, touching the “deployment” path leads to choices including “What do we need to do before my spouse leaves?” and “How do we help the kids understand?” and “What should I know now in case of emergency later?”
Before building the app, Scott said, the association learned through research that the majority of military spouses have a smartphone and are very connected through social networking sites like Facebook. But many can be overwhelmed trying to sift through the more than 10,000 military-affiliated websites and 3,400 official military sites to find the information they need, she said.
