Re-enlisting soldiers AND families

Military Family Life Comes Under Study

By KIMBERLY HEFLING, Associated Press Writer

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - The military, so the saying goes, enlists a soldier but re-enlists a family. Getting families to re-up in time of war, however, is a daunting task the defense department hopes will be made easier with research by Purdue University.

"Today, more than ever, we don't go to war without the support of our families," said Lt. Col. Joe Richard, a Pentagon (news - web sites) spokesman.

Purdue's Military Family Research Institute is getting $8 million in federal funds to study soldiers and their families. The idea is for policy makers to use the findings to keep soldiers from leaving.

From better housing to financial incentives to postwar counseling, Richard said officials recognize they have to keep soldiers and families happy if they are to maintain troop strength in an all-volunteer military.

(Continued at link above)