Read about scholarships and more at NMFA's Military Spouse Education Resource Guide

The National Military Family Association, NMFA, was organized in 1969 as the National
Military Wives Association by a group of wives and widows seeking financial security
for survivors of uniformed service personnel and retirees.  From their efforts, the
Survivor Benefit Plan came into being.  In the ensuing years, NMFA has been in the
vanguard of advocacy for improvements in the quality of military family life. The name
of the organization was changed in 1984 to reflect the broad scope of its involvement.
NMFA is a non-profit 501(c)(3) association.

NMFA has members from all ranks of the seven uniformed services worldwide and their
families.  Its Board of Governors, which includes active duty service members, reserve
component, retirees and spouses, sets the policies, approves the issues, and oversees
operations.  Governors and officers receive no financial compensation, and volunteers
assist in carrying out NMFA programs. NMFA is privileged to have a distinguished Board
of Advisors. We have significant support at the top levels of the Services and we work
regularly on common concerns with The Military Coalition, an umbrella organization of
thirty-six military-related associations.

NMFA activities revolve around programs to educate the public, the military community,
and Congress on the rights and benefits of military families AND to advocate an equitable
quality of life for those families.  Members of the Government Relations Department study
issues, testify before Congressional Committees, work with Congressional staff and
represent NMFA on advisory groups for many DoD agencies, to include the Defense
Commissary Agency Patron Council and the TRICARE Beneficiary Panel. Since its inception
in 1969, the effectiveness of NMFA is reflected in accomplishments in most of the issue
areas in which the association works. These include medical and dental benefits,
dependent education, retiree and survivor benefits, relocation and spousal employment.

NMFA staff speaks regularly to all types of groups, including family service organizations,
Commanders' Conferences, and officer and enlisted spouse clubs. More than 100 NMFA
Representatives in the field extend our presence worldwide. NMFA has access and
credibility in areas where it CAN and DOES make a difference.   NMFA sponsors a
military spouse scholarship program, as well as the NMFA Very Important Patriot Award,
which recognizes outstanding volunteers in the military community, and the NMFA Family
Award, which recognizes families that exemplify the best of the military lifestyle.

In 2004, it published an analysis of military family support, entitled "Serving the Home
Front: An Analysis of Military Family Support".  Since September 11, 2001. Thanks to
generous funding support from Sears, NMFA sponsored Operation Purple Camps for
children of deployed service members in many U.S. military communities around the world.

NMFA, "The Voice for Military Families," is dedicated to providing information to and
representing the interests of family members of the uniformed services on which our
national security depends.

National Military Family Association, Inc.
2500 North Van Dorn Street, Suite 102
Alexandria, VA 22302-1601
(703) 931-NMFA (6632)
or 1-800-260-0218

www.nmfa.org, provides extensive information for military families and those who
service them.

NMFA publishes a monthly newsletter as well as a weekly legislative e-mail newsletter,
"The Government and You ENews".

For more information about NMFA, to schedule an NMFA presentation, or request NMFA
promotional materials, please contact NMFA at the phone number above or send an
email to: families@nmfa.org