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Military families often face a great deal of non-medical challenges during deployment. It can be difficult for them to cope with the life changes associated with having a loved one serving overseas, but a new program offered by the Department of Defense (DOD) seeks to provide the military community with the tools to overcome those obstacles, according to the American Forces Press Service.

The initiative, known as the Military and Family Life Counseling program, offers treatment on a no-cost and short-term basis and is available to active duty, National Guard and reserve members and their families. Jena M. Moore, who helps run the program, says it can offer families considerable benefits.

"These are daily issues that come to our lives like dealing with work or dealing with family," she told the news source. "And, specifically for the military community, it's those normal reactions that service members and family members can have to the stressful attributes that can come with being a military family member."

The use of such counseling services has increased over the last several years. Recent statistics show that around 35 percent of active duty servicemembers take advantage of them, which is up from just 10 percent in 2003.