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Explore How States are Supporting Military Families
Across the country, states are advancing thoughtful policies, programs, and partnerships that strengthen support for military and veteran-connected families. This toolkit brings together those efforts in one shared, accessible place.
Select a state on the map to explore local initiatives, or browse the full database below to discover ideas and opportunities being activated nationwide.
Darker shaded states are a Do Your Part state.
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Indiana offers 19 distinctive military license plates to honor the service of service members, veterans, and their families.
Populations: Active Duty Topics: Belonging, Belonging & Community, Belonging/Community Support
Bureau of Mental Health Addiction
Bureau of Mental Health Addiction: health, wellness, and support services for service members, veterans, and military families in Indiana.
Populations: Active Duty Topics: Health & Wellbeing, Health and Wellness, Mental Health Support
Indiana participates in occupational licensing compacts, allowing military spouses to transfer credentials and maintain employment across state lines, supporting workforce continuity and family stability.
Illinois recognizes military-friendly schools that demonstrate strong supports, resources, and points of contact for military-connected students and their families.
Populations: Military Children Topics: Belonging, Belonging & Community, Community Integration Support
MCCYN
Military Child Care in Your Neighborhood (MCCYN) offers off-post childcare for Army families with children 6 weeks–12 years, helping them access nationally accredited programs with reduced fees comparable to on-post rates.
Populations: Active Duty Topics: Childcare, Childcare Challenges, Financial Stability (Fee Waiver, Food Insecurity), Financial Support
Indiana provides income tax guidance for military service members and spouses, helping clarify residency, filing requirements, extensions, and available deductions.
Populations: Active Duty Topics: Fee Waiver, Financial Stability (Fee Waiver, Food Insecurity), Financial Support
Indiana provides emergency financial assistance to service members, veterans, and military families to help cover essential needs, including education-related expenses, during times of hardship.
Populations: Military Children Topics: Financial Stability (Fee Waiver, Food Insecurity), Financial Support
Indiana offers military designations on driver’s licenses and ID cards for active-duty service members, veterans, and surviving spouses to recognize military service and support military families.
Populations: Active Duty Topics: Belonging, Belonging & Community, Community Integration Support
Indiana provides an income tax deduction for National Guard and Reserve members, supporting financial stability, readiness, and family well-being during military service.
Populations: Active Duty Topics: Financial Stability (Fee Waiver, Food Insecurity), Financial Support
Indiana provides tuition assistance through the NGTSG program, helping National Guard members and their families access higher education, advance careers, and maintain financial stability.
Populations: Active Duty Topics: Financial Stability (Fee Waiver, Food Insecurity), Financial Support
Indiana provides driver’s license extensions, military and veteran identifiers, and safety programs through the BMV, helping military families maintain driving privileges and access transportation resources.
Populations: Active Duty Topics: Fee Waiver, Financial Stability (Fee Waiver, Food Insecurity), Financial Support
Indiana’s Invets program connects military spouses, veterans, and service members to jobs, training, and career resources, supporting workforce readiness and family well-being.
Indiana allows military spouses, veterans, and service members to waive portions of the CDL skills test, helping them access employment opportunities and training more quickly in the commercial driving sector.
Indiana allows nonresident active-duty service members stationed in the state to purchase hunting and fishing licenses at resident rates, helping support quality of life during military assignments.
Populations: Active Duty Topics: Fee Waiver, Financial Stability (Fee Waiver, Food Insecurity), Financial Support
Indiana excludes qualifying earned income of nonresident military spouses from state taxation, helping prevent unintended tax burdens when spouses relocate under military orders.
Populations: Active Duty Topics: Fee Waiver, Financial Stability (Fee Waiver, Food Insecurity), Financial Support
Indiana allows eligible active-duty service members, including nonresidents stationed in the state, to hunt and fish using resident licenses, helping reduce recreational costs during military service.
Populations: Active Duty Topics: Fee Waiver, Financial Stability (Fee Waiver, Food Insecurity), Financial Support
Bureau of Motor Vehicles, Easy Plate Renewal
Military members serving out of state may renew their plates online.
Populations: Active Duty Topics: Removing Bureaucratic Barriers, Resource Systems Navigation
Participates in the Military Interstate Children’s Compact (MIC3), which supports military-connected students and families by standardizing school enrollment, placement, eligibility, and graduation requirements during interstate transitions.
Populations: Military Children Topics: Belonging, Belonging & Community, Dependent Child Education, Education
Indiana law provides that Indiana residents in the U.S. Armed Forces may renew their license online, or carry a Military Extension Letter. They may also renew registration by mail or online.
Populations: Active Duty Topics: Belonging, Belonging & Community, Belonging/Community Support
Indiana allows National Guard and Reserve service members to take military leave from civilian employment, supporting career continuity, readiness, and family stability during service.
Your Feedback is Welcome!
This toolkit is launching in 'beta' to demonstrate the incredible potential of state level work. We'll keep refining it and would love your help in making it the most comprehensive, easy to use tool out there. Help us improve the States toolkit by sharing anything that needs attention with Blue Star Families by filling out this form.
A comprehensive overview of the methodology and supporting data can be found in the full technical memo.
Let's work together to support our military families.
The Do Your Part coalition is led by Blue Star Families with support from Craig Newmark and craig newmark philanthropies.
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