What is a family?
The Vanier Institute of the Family defines family as any combination of two or more persons who are bound together over time by ties of mutual consent, birth, adoption or placement and who, together, assume responsibilities for variant combinations of some of the following:
- Physical maintenance and care of group members
- Addition of new members through procreation or adoption
- Socialization of children
- Social control of members
- Production, consumption, distribution of goods and services
- Affective nurturance – love
What is a military family?
First and foremost, a military family is understood to be all Canadian Armed Forces’ personnel, Regular and Reserve Force, and their parents, spouses, children and relatives.
Family members and persons of significance to Canadian Armed Forces personnel who lose their life while serving remain part of the military family community in perpetuity.
What do we know about Canadian Armed Forces military families?
According to the Profile of Military Families in Canada: 2017 Regular Force Demographics *, conducted by Military Family Services:
- There were 66,472 Regular Force personnel with 99,716 additional family dependents (spouses, children and other dependents). In the Reserve Force, there were 47,135 personnel with 38,398 additional family members and dependents.
- Almost half of all Regular Force personnel are single, with just more than half married or in a common-law relationship.
- Almost 40% of all Regular Force personnel posted in Canada live in Ontario with their families.
- Almost half of all Regular Force personnel have dependent children. In total, there are 60,838 dependent children of Regular Force personnel (in Canada and OUTCAN)
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