Well-Being in the Military

Well-being is vital to the success of military operations and the health of service members and their families. We conceptualize well-being as multidimensional and define it as an ongoing integration process of dimensions (the level of happiness, meaning, and/or satisfaction) within the three domains of Work, Life, and Work–Life. This chapter examines well-being in military service members and their families, and suggests that well-being can be conceptualized using the aforementioned domains, which were developed earlier as part of the Work–Life Well-Being Inventory. These dimensions were developed through focus groups with soldiers, additional research conducted on well-being, and literature reviews. The leader and organization supporting the family dimension was the only dimension theoretically derived for this model. The 19 dimensions that influence well-being are divided into three domains. These dimensions outline the positive functioning of individuals, as opposed to focusing on negative functioning. In what follows, we describe the dimensions in each well-being domain and discuss the relevant supporting literature. Based on this literature, we provide recommendations for providers, educators, and leaders to enhance the well-being of military members and families. We also suggest self-management approaches that can help service members preserve and increase their well-being.