Heflin Discusses Food Insecurity Among Military Families on Military Times Podcast

February 9, 2023

Military Times

Colleen Heflin

Public Administration & International Affairs Department

Center for Policy Research

Lerner Center for Public Health Promotion and Population Health

Food Security

United States

Military Times

Colleen Heflin

New data sheds light on the problem of food insecurity among military families. Colleen Heflin, professor and chair of public administration and international affairs, joined the Military Times podcast "The Spouse Angle" to discuss the issue.

"Recent data from the Department of Defense indicates that one in four service members were food insecure at the end of 2020," says Heflin. "Fourteen percent had low food insecurity and 10% had very low food insecurity. And these are rates that are over twice as high than the general population," she says.

Heflin attributes the problem of food insecurity among active-duty members to low salaries at the enlisted level, issues with spousal employment and the unique barriers military families face when accessing the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program.