Pay and benefits, and proposed changes in the military retirement system, top the list of military families’ concerns, according to a survey released May 10 by the Defense Department. Also drawing heavy interest in the 2012 Military Family Lifestyle Survey were the impact of deployments on children, operational tempo, spouse employment and education, combat stress, and brain injuries. The survey drew more than 4,000 respondents from active and reserve components of the four Defense Department services, as well as the Coast Guard. The prospect of retirement-system changes was the primary concern among 31 percent of all respondents, while 20 percent said that pay and benefits topped their list of concerns. Veterans’ biggest concerns centered around employment and access to health care. Seven percent listed the operations tempo as their primary concern. Sixty percent of spouse respondents reported that they were not employed; 53 percent of them said they wanted jobs. Another 57 percent said that their status as military spouses hindered their employment opportunities, with 27 percent reporting they had problems transferring professional licenses to new home states after permanent-change-of-station moves.