Military OneSource
Military OneSource is a Department of Defense-funded website and resource that improves military and family readiness and quality of life.
The website provides resources, information, and options for active duty, Guard, Reserve, and family members. Using MilitaryOneSource access to confidential assistance, comprehensive information, and referrals to essential services such as military child care, base housing, and career counseling.
Services offered include:
- Confidential Counseling
- Relationship Support
- Parenting Resources
- Education and Career Opportunities
- Financial and Legal
- Exceptional Family Member Program support
Military OneSource’s vision is to deliver “total force access to confidential support—anytime, anywhere.” This means it is designed to be a constant, reliable presence, accessible 24/7 from any location worldwide.
Who can use Military OneSource services?
The Military OneSource vision extends its services to a broad spectrum of the military community. This includes active-duty service members across all branches and their immediate family members (spouses, children, and legal guardians of children during separation). National Guard and Reserve members and their immediate families are also eligible.
Additionally eligible:
- Survivors
- Medically discharged service members
- Their immediate families
- Immediate family members/caregivers/parents of wounded, ill, or injured service members
- Designated DoD expeditionary civilians
- Military academy cadets
Limited services, such as online resources and contact center consultations, are available to parents and extended family members seeking assistance on behalf of a service member, ROTC students, delayed-entry or future recruits, and their immediate families.
Does Military OneSource offer counseling services?
Military OneSource offers counseling services, but can military communities trust their confidentiality? Their counselors are qualified professionals with master’s or doctoral degrees in helping professions and are licensed to practice independently. The official site states that it is dedicated to preserving the confidentiality of its users.
While confidentiality is paramount, there are legally mandated exceptions. Counselors are required to report in specific circumstances: cases involving domestic violence, child abuse, or situations where there is a clear duty to warn due to a threat of harm or illegal activity.
What kind of emotional well-being support does Military OneSource offer?
Military OneSource provides free, confidential, non-medical counseling services. These short-term, solution-focused sessions address common stressors without requiring long-term support or a formal diagnosis.
Issues covered include relationship conflicts, parenting challenges, grief and loss, anxiety, stress management, self-esteem, loneliness, and critical life decisions.
Up to 12 counseling sessions are available per issue at no cost. Support is accessible face-to-face with licensed counselors within a 30-mile radius, over the phone, via secure online chat, or through secure live video sessions.
Counseling may be available in person or through video only for children aged 6 to 17. Military OneSource refers individuals to appropriate resources like TRICARE or military treatment facilities for concerns requiring clinical mental health treatment or a diagnosis.
How does Military OneSource help with financial resilience and tax preparation?
Military OneSource financial counseling services address a spectrum of monetary concerns for eligible service members and their families: basic budgeting, general money management, and effective debt management techniques. You may also get sessions on establishing and restoring credit, consolidating loans, and negotiating with creditors.
There is also help with military-specific financial matters, such as understanding benefits, managing finances during deployment, and implications for security clearances.
One important benefit is free military tax services, which provides access to tax consultants for federal tax-filing requirements and military-specific circumstances.
What support does Military OneSource provide for education and employment?
For military spouses, there is assistance with employment and education, including resources for transferring professional licenses and certifications across state lines or overseas.
Some service branches may reimburse spouses for re-licensure and certification costs due to PCS moves that cross U.S. state lines.
For service members and their families pursuing educational advancement, Military OneSource provides comprehensive information and resources from preschool to college, including guidance on tutors, schools, online library resources, and financial aid options like the GI Bill, Pell Grants, scholarships, and loans.
How does Military OneSource help with Permanent Change of Station (PCS) moves?
For pre-move planning, the website hosts “MilitaryINSTALLATIONS,” a comprehensive Department of Defense program offering updated information about military installations worldwide, including employment, housing, childcare, medical facilities, education, and support services at the new duty station.
“Plan-My-Move” calendars provide reminders and guidance for each step of the relocation process. Financial counseling addresses relocation-specific monetary concerns, such as home buying/selling, renting, property management, and shipping/storing household goods, motor vehicles, and pets.
Information on various PCS allowances like Temporary Lodging Expense (TLE), Overseas Housing Allowance (MIHA), and Advance Basic Pay is also available. For navigating the physical move, the Defense Personal Property System (DPS) is an online tool to schedule moves, track shipments, and file claims.
Guidance is also provided for joint military moves and privately owned vehicles (POVs) shipping. Military OneSource’s broader “Education & Employment” and “Parenting” sections contain resources relevant to finding a new home and community integration, including spouse employment and child care/schools.
How does Military OneSource support service members transitioning to civilian life?
Military OneSource provides dedicated and comprehensive support for service members and their families transitioning from military to civilian life. Honorably discharged and retired service members, along with their immediate families, remain eligible for full support for up to 365 days following their end of tour of service, retirement, or discharge date.
Central to this support is the “Transitioning Veterans Consultation,” a free, personalized consultation for service members returning to civilian life, available within 12 months of retirement/separation or 365 days of their last day of service. This consultation supplements the mandatory Department of Defense Transition Assistance Program and involves sessions with a trained consultant.
How can service members and their families connect with Military OneSource?
Military OneSource is designed for maximum accessibility, offering multiple avenues for connection. Options include the official website, and a toll-free phone number (800-342-9647) available 24/7/365 from anywhere in the world, with specific international calling options.
For those who prefer text-based communication, a secure online chat feature allows for real-time consultant conversations. Secure video counseling sessions may also be available.
About the author
Editor-in-Chief Joe Wallace is a 13-year veteran of the United States Air Force and a former reporter/editor for Air Force Television News and the Pentagon Channel. His freelance work includes contract work for Motorola, VALoans.com, and Credit Karma. He is co-founder of Dim Art House in Springfield, Illinois, and spends his non-writing time as an abstract painter, independent publisher, and occasional filmmaker.
