To understand the self-rated depression scores of military recruits and to analyze the relationship between depression, the family environment, and coping styles.Multistage stratified cluster random sampling was used to study participants who, in September 2014, had enrolled as military personnel in the Xinjiang military. The participants were requested to complete the Chinese versions of the Self-rated Depression Scale (SDS), the Family Environment Scale (FES-CV), and the Simplified Coping Style Questionnaire (SCSQ). Between-groups comparisons were performed using a t test and Mann-Whitney U test. Correlations were determined utilizing Spearman rank correlation coefficient, and the influencing factors of the SDS scores were analyzed using logistic regression.The average score of the SDS among the 323 participants was 42.53 ± 8.51. Specifically, the score of the "high school and below" group was higher than that of the "college and above" group [i.e., (43.98 ± 8.30)] vs [(40.43.98 ± 8.30) vs (37.94 ± 5.50), P < .05]. The SDS score of the "nonstudent" (i.e., social status before enlistment) group was higher than that of the "student" group [(i.e., 45.00 ± 7.60) vs (40.42 ± 8.02), P < .05] and the SDS score of the "smoking" group was higher than that of the "nonsmoking" group [i.e., (45.33 ± 7.74 vs 40.34 ± 7.58, P < .05)]. In addition, the scores related to the entertainment, organization, and controllability of the SDS≥50 group were lower than those observed for the SDS < 50 group, (i.e., Ps < .05). The SDS score was positively correlated with the SCSQ (r = 0.30) negative copying style score (r = 0.30), positively correlated with the FES-CV contradiction score (r = 0.32), and negatively correlated with the FES-CV knowledge score (r = -0.43), entertainment score (r = -0.42), organization score (r = -0.37), and controllability score (r = -0.28), respectively, (Ps < .05). The results of the logistic regression analysis showed that entertainment was contained in the final regression equation (P < .001) with odds radio (95% confidence interval) of 0.512 (0.319-0.824).A correlation was found between depression among military personnel and their family environment, and entertainment may be a potential protective factor against depression.