Developing a Military-Friendly Communications Strategy
The US military and veteran community represents a diverse, multigenerational subset of our country’s population. Military service members, veterans, and their families face unique challenges and opportunities, many of which differ significantly from those experienced by the civilian population. Deployments, Permanent Change of Station (PCS) orders, and service-connected injuries are just a few of the notable military-specific lifecycle events encountered by this patriotic cohort. Understanding the population-specific needs accompanying military service can help government agencies improve military and veteran community outreach initiatives.
As a veteran-owned company, Becker Digital is very passionate about connecting our community with quality resources and programs that support military and veteran families. Effective military and veteran outreach requires a military-informed approach. Organizational communications intended for military and veteran audiences should reflect the values and lifestyles of the modern military and veteran community to achieve optimal effectiveness. Government agencies and nonprofit organizations that support the modern military and veteran community should prioritize the development of a military-informed communications strategy.
Here are five tips for developing a military-friendly communications strategy:
Communications should reflect the diversity of the modern military and veteran community.
The modern military community is not a monolith; instead, it comprises a very diverse community of patriotic people. Over the past few decades, the US military has seen a steady increase in diverse demographics across ethnic, racial, gender, religious, sexual orientation, and political affiliation.
Here are a few statistics regarding diversity within the modern military community:
Hispanics are the fastest-growing minority population in the military.
By 2018, women represented 16.5% of the active-duty military.
Approximately 6% of military service members identify as members of the LGBT+ community.
In 2020, 43% of military service members were people of color.
Rural residents are more likely to have served in the military than urban and suburban residents.
The oldest veteran service organization in the United States is the Jewish War Veterans of the USA.
It is estimated that approximately 700,000 foreign-born veterans live in the U.S. today, and approximately 45,000 immigrants are actively serving in the US military.
The military community’s diversity should be reflected and recognized in military community-focused communications campaigns. Organizations should prioritize the development of campaign assets - media and copy - that reflects an accurate picture of the modern military community across multiple demographic variables. Additionally, recognition of religious holiday observances and practices, family structure, place of origin, and native language should also be considered.
Include military and veteran family outreach in your communications.
Military families play a unique role in mission readiness and support. Military spouses, parents, siblings, grandparents, and children are often involved in providing support for the servicemember in various forms throughout the military lifecycle. Deployments, homecomings, PCSs, service-connected injuries and illness, and military transitions all often require the involvement of many members of the military family. Organizations that support the military and veteran community should include outreach initiatives to military family members, as these individuals are often responsible for finding supportive resources.
Additionally, military service in the United States is routinely a family affair, with multiple members of the family of origin serving. According to a 2013 Department of Defense (DoD) report, 80% of military recruits came from families where at least one parent, grandparent, aunt or uncle, sibling, or cousin had served in the US military. This intergenerational commitment to serving our nation is often evidenced in familial value systems. Today, approximately 100,000 military service members are dual-service couples, meaning that both spouses are currently serving. When developing your military-friendly communications strategy, keeping this in mind can help increase its effectiveness.
Recognize military holidays and observances in an accurate, respectful manner.
There are dozens of military-focused holiday observances and remembrance designations. It’s imperative that organizations recognize these days and months in an informed and respectful way. Tone-deaf social media posts and activities that include misinformation regarding these days of observance are disrespectful. For example, Memorial Day is a day to recognize fallen service members who lost their lives during times of war - it’s not a day to recognize living veterans or post pictures of a company bar-b-que.
Other important military observances include:
National Vietnam War Veterans Day (March 29)
Month of the Military Child (April)
Gold Star Spouses Day (April 5)
National Former Prisoners Of War (POW) Recognition Day (April 9)
Month of the Military Caregiver (May)
Children of Fallen Patriots Day (May 13)
Armed Forces Day (the Third Saturday in May)
Memorial Day (the last Monday in May)
Military Spouse Appreciation Day (the Friday before Mothers Day)
Women Veterans Day (June 12)
National Hire a Veteran Day (July 25)
Purple Heart Day (August 7)
Gold Star Mother’s Day (September 25)
Day of the Deployed (October 25)
National Veterans and Military Family Month (November)
National Veterans Small Business Week (November 1 to 5)
Veterans Day (November 11)
Additionally, organizations should recognize military branch birthdays. Here is a consolidated list:
Coast Guard Reserve (February 19)
Navy Reserve (March 3)
Air Force Reserve (April 14)
Army Reserve (April 23)
Army (June 14)
Coast Guard Auxiliary (June 23)
Department of Defense (August 10)
Marine Corps Reserve (August 29)
Air Force (September 18)
Air National Guard (September 18)
Navy (October 13)
Marine Corps (November 10)
National Guard (December 13)
Space Force (December 20)
Accessibility and disability inclusion should be reflected in your organization's military and veterans outreach.
Military service members and veterans have higher rates of disability than civilian populations. In 2021, approximately 27% of US veterans were reported to live with a service-connected disability. Iraq and Afghanistan veterans are reported to have higher rates of severe disability than veterans of previous eras. Warfare conditions in modern wars yielded higher survival rates but increased severity of disability due to complex, life-threatening injuries. This heightened presence of disability necessitates that organizations supporting the modern military and veteran community incorporate web accessibility and disability-inclusive practices into communications strategies. Section 508 compliant design, accessible social media practices, and inclusive disability-friendly outreach should be evident in all organizational communications.
Many disabled veterans require the support of a caregiver to assist with daily living and health-related needs. Today, over 5 million military and veteran caregivers provide supportive care to disabled veterans, with over 1 million providing care for post-9/11 veterans. The majority of military and veteran caregivers are spouses and are reported to encounter negative career, education, financial, and health outcomes following the servicemembers’ injury or illness. Military-focused organizations should recognize military and veteran caregivers in communications and prioritize caregiver-focused outreach to connect military caregivers with helpful resources available to wounded warrior families.
An active organizational presence on multiple social media platforms is a must.
The modern military and veteran population is very active on social media. They use multiple social media platforms to keep up with friends and family all across the globe. According to a 2022 survey, military community members reported higher daily social media usage than civilian populations surveyed. Due to frequent relocations that typically accompany military service, military families often rely on recommendations from each other for military and veteran-friendly and quality products and services. The majority of servicemembers report maintaining an active presence on multiple social media channels.
The modern military and veteran community is multi-generational and currently spans all generations, from Gen Zers to the WWII Generation. When organizations are looking to connect with military and veteran community members, they should consider generational marketing strategies to ensure that they are utilizing the best social media platforms to build those relationships. For example, suppose your organization focuses outreach on currently serving junior officers and enlisted. In that case, Millennials and Gen Z-frequented social media platforms such as TikTok and Instagram should be prioritized. Facebook and YouTube should be prioritized if your organization is focusing outreach on Vietnam and Cold War-era veterans. Understanding the demographics of your target audience is essential when developing a military-friendly communications strategy.
Learn more about military and veteran audience outreach:
If your government agency is looking for a creative partner to provide marketing consulting and management services, contact Becker Digital. We specialize in going beyond the screen and engaging diverse communities in a meaningful way. All of our work is customized to the organizational client’s needs. Contact us to schedule a complimentary call and learn more about how marketing strategy can enhance your organization’s mission.