College of Human Sciences plays key role in building strong communities for military family readiness

Auburn University’s Military REACH is playing a key role in the 2026 Military Family Readiness Academy this August through its ongoing work with OneOp, a federally funded professional development platform for military family service providers. This year's four-week virtual series, “Building Strong Communities for Military Family Readiness,” runs on consecutive Wednesdays throughout August and is open at no cost to extension professionals, service providers, community leaders, and all who support military families.

Join Dr. Catherine O'Neal, co-investigator of Military REACH, on Wednesday, Aug. 5 as she presents on Partnerships that Strengthen Military Families. She is among a network of professionals from land-grant universities who collaborate through OneOp in partnership with the U.S. Department of Agriculture's National Institute of Food and Agriculture and the War Department and to create research-based professional development for those who serve military families.

“Our Military REACH team is proud to contribute to this year’s Military Family Readiness Academy through a presentation led by Dr. O’Neal,” said Dr. Mallory Lucier-Greer, principal investigator and director of Military REACH. “Attendees will leave the webinar with practical reminders of how both collective community support and individual action strengthen the well-being of military families. By recognizing the broader network of organizations serving military families and intentionally collaborating across sectors, participants will be better positioned to amplify their impact and help build stronger, more connected systems of support.”

The 2026 Academy is designed for a broad range of professionals. In addition to Military Family Readiness System providers, the series is designed to welcome cooperative Extension educators, community-based service providers, state and local government partners, nonprofits serving military families, and civic leaders in communities. All sessions are available live and on-demand with no-cost continuing education credits offered across multiple disciplines.