A new study seeks to determine how an online social network may be helpful to the family of a deployed member of the military by analyzing the message board used by the significant other of a service member during deployment. The study analyzed the social network postings of significant others on an open discussion board to see how military families are using online social networks to alleviate stress during deployment. It found that the most common type of support requested during deployment by families was emotional support, while families requested more informational support before and after deployment. More research is needed to find what role social networks can play, in conjunction with other policies, to aid in the overall health of military families.