Communities Support
Military Families
Impact of Overseas
Contingency Operations
• Has changed the face of military service,
especially for those in the National Guard
and Reserves
• Mobilization and deployment are at record
high levels for all components of the military
• National Guard and Reserve families have
different needs than traditional military
families.
Impact of Overseas
Contingency Operations
• For the National Guard and Reserves, their
primary occupation is not one of service
member and some families might not consider
themselves military families.
• Geographically dispersed from others in the
same circumstances (not necessarily located
near a military installation).
• Family identity changes from civilian to military
with one letter or phone call.
Goal of the Program
• Encourage community members to be
good neighbors in support of the military
families in their midst.
• Caring neighbors and community groups can
make a huge positive difference in the lives and
mental health of families of deployed and
returned service members.
Learning Objectives
• Build knowledge of the structure and mission
of the military services
• Become aware of the presence and needs of
military families
• Reach out as individuals with empathy to meet
nearby families’ specific needs
• Assist communities to meet the needs of
military families in practical ways.
Flow of the Program
• Introduction: Meaning of deployment, and the
unique issues of military families and the
communities in which they live
• Structure of the U.S. Armed Forces
• Comparison of civilian and military cultures
• The deployment cycle and family reactions
• Suggested ways to support military families
Definition of Deployed Reserve
Military Personnel
In military terms, Reserve
service members are taken
from their reserve status to
active duty status to fulfill a
requirement that the full-time
active duty force cannot
complete alone.
Unique Issues for Military
Families,Youth, and Children
• Lack of community awareness of and
support for military family needs
• Lack of preparedness within the family to
recognize and meet the needs of the
remaining parent or adult relative,
children, and youth when a member is
deployed
Department of
Defense Overview
U.S. Army
Army Component Structure
Active Component*
Regions
Geographically Dispersed
Installations
Reserve Component
National Guard
Army Reserve
States
Regions
Army National
Guard
Overview of
Army National Guard
• Army National Guard is one
component of the total U.S.Army.
• ARNG is composed of civilians who
serve their country on a part-time
basis.
• The ARNG has a dual mission, e.g.,
state and federal.
Overview of
Army National Guard
• In peacetime, governors command the Guard
forces.
• During wartime, the President of the United
States can activate the National Guard.
• When federalized, Guard units are led by the
commander of the theatre in which they are
operating.
ARMY RESERVE
Army Reserve Overview
• Train alongside Army active duty soldiers to
the same standards.
• Activated for a federal mission.
• Deliver sovereign options for the defense of
the United States of America and its global
interests – to fight and win America’s wars.
Army Reserve Units
Spokane
Seattle
Portland
Minneapolis
Madison
Des Moines
Lincoln
Salt Lake City
Detroit
Chicago
Fort Wayne Akron
Kansas City
Colorado Springs
St. Louis
Cincinnati
Philadelphia
Arlington
Lexington
Wichita
Fremont
Fresno
Richmond
Chesapeake
Las Vegas
Bakersfield
Anaheim
Boston
Bridgeport
Columbus
Aurora
Sacramento
Buffalo Syracuse
Albuquerque
Glendale
Knoxville
Little Rock
El Paso
Chattanooga Charlotte
Atlanta
Lubbock
San Diego
Tucson
Amarillo
Tulsa
Oklahoma City
Arlington Shreveport
Jackson
Baton Rouge
Austin
Columbus
Jacksonville
Houston
Corpus Christi
Orlando
St. Petersburg
Fort Lauderdale
U.S. Marine Corps
Marine Corps Community
Service Installations
Marine Corps Air Station Yuma, Arizona
Marine Corps Base Barstow, California
Marine 29 Palms, California
Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, California
Marine Corps San Diego, California
Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, California
Mountain Warfare Training Center, California
Marine Corps Logistics Base Albany, Georgia
Marine Corps Base Hawaii
Headquarters Camp Fuji, Japan
Marine corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan
Marine Corps Base Camp Butler, Okinawa
Marine Forces Reserve Louisiana
Kansas City, Missouri
Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, North
Carolina
Marine Corps Base Lejeune, North Carolina
Marine Corps Air Station New River, North Carolina
Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island, South
Carolina
Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort, South Carolina
Marine Corps Base Camp Allen,
Virginia
Marine Corps Base Quantico,
Virginia
HQ’s Battalion Henderson
Hall,Virginia
U. S. Navy
Navy Region Structure
CNR Northwest
- Naval Base Kitsap
- NAS Whidbey Island
- NAVSTA Everett
- NAVMAG Indian Island
CNR Midwest
- NAVSTA Great Lakes
- NSA Crane
- Mid South
CNR Japan
- CFA Okinawa
- CFA Yokosuka
- CFA Sasebo
- NAF Atsugi
- NAF Misawa
- NSF Diego Garcia
CNR Marianas (Guam)
- Guam (CNF Marianas SA)
CNR Korea
- CFA Chinhae
Singapore AC
CNR SW Asia
- NSA Bahrain
CNR Mid-Atlantic
- NSA Norfolk
- NSS Norfolk Naval Shipyard*
- NAVSTA Norfolk
- NAS Oceana
- WPNSUPPFAC Yorktown
- NAB Little Creek
- NSA Mechanicsburg
- NAS/JRB Willow Grove
- NSGA Sugar Grove
- NAS Brunswick
- NAVWPNSTA Earle
- SUBASE New London
- NSY BOS Portsmouth
- NAVSTA Newport
- NAVAIRENGSTA Lakehurst
- NSU Saratoga Springs
CNR Hawaii
- NAVSTA Pearl Harbor
- PMRF Barking Sands
CNR Southwest
- SUBASE San Diego
- NAVSTA San Diego
- NAVBASE Ventura County
- NAF El Centro
- NAS Lemoore
- NAS Fallon
- NAVWEPSTA Seal Beach
- NAS North Island
- NAWS China Lake
- NSA Monterey
Commander,
Naval
Installation
Command
Washington
Navy Yard
CNR Europe
- NSA Naples
- NAS Sigonella
- NSA Souda Bay
- NAVSTA Rota
- JMF St. Mawgans
CNR NDW
- NSA Washington
- NSA North Potomac
- NSA South Potomac
- NSA Patuxent River
- NSA Annapolis
CNR Southeast
- NAS Jacksonville
- NAVSTA Mayport
- SUBASE Kings Bay
- NAVWPNSTA Charleston
- NAS Key West
- CBC Gulfport
- NAVSTA Guantanamo Bay
- NSA Panama City
- NSA Athens
- NAS Atlanta
- NAS Meridian
- NSA Orlando
- NAVSTA Pascagoula
- NAS Pensacola
- NAS Whiting Field
- NAVSTA Ingleside
- NAS Corpus Christi
- NAS Kingsville
- NAS/JRB Fort Worth
- NAS/JRB New Orleans
- NSA New Orleans
- NA Puerto Rico
Navy Reserve
24
U.S. Air Force
Air Force Structure
Active Component
Major Commands
Geographically Dispersed
Bases
Reserve Component
Air National Guard
States
Major
Commands
Air Force Reserve Command
3 Numbered Air Forces
36 Wings
Air National Guard
Air National Guard Locations
Guam
Air National Guard Units
Puerto Rico
Air Force Reserve
Air Force Reserve Units
36 Wings and 4 Groups – 11 Reserve Bases – 52 Tenant Bases
U.S. Coast Guard
U.S. Coast Guard Reserve
Coast Guard Locations
U.S. Coast Guard
The mission of the U.S. Coast Guard
blends military, humanitarian, and civilian
law-enforcement capabilities.
Five fundamental roles:
• maritime safety
• maritime security
• maritime mobility
• national defense
• protection of natural resources
Operation: Military Kids
— The Concept
• Responds to the needs of the military youth whose parents
have been deployed in support of overseas contingency
operations.
• Infrastructure developed by 50 OMK state teams that work to
build the community capacity of local community support
networks to provide services that support child and youth of
military families.
• Delivered in local communities through collaboration with
military partners, Cooperative Extension family and consumer
sciences and 4-H programs, Boys & Girls Clubs, the Military
Child Education Coalition, The American Legion, child care
resource and referral agencies, and other community agencies
serving youth at national, state, and local levels.
Operation: Military Kids
State Team
OMK State Team Roles and Responsibilities:
• Create a diverse and highly functioning
state team
• Establish local community support
networks
• Provide OMK Ready, Set, Go! trainings
• Coordinate delivery of “Speak Out for
Military Kids” trainings and events
• Implement Hero Pack Project
• Loan resources and portable computer
lab for use with military audiences
Understanding
Military Culture
What is Culture?
• “Culture” is the knowledge, experience, values,
ideas, attitudes, skills, tastes, and techniques
that are passed on from more experienced
members of a community to new members.
• Examples of culture are rules for building
relationships and living with others, ways of
managing health, acceptable gender roles, hand
and body gestures, dressing and grooming,
recreation, and choices of rewards and
privileges.
Identify Your
Culture
Elements of Military Culture
• Mission of the military
• Military values
• Unique cultural aspects
• Issues for military families and children
Mission of the Military
• The mission of the Department of Defense is
to provide the military forces needed to deter
war and to protect the security of the
country.
• The Army’s mission is to fight and win our
nation’s wars by providing prompt, sustained
land dominance across the full range of
military operations and spectrum of conflict in
support of combatant commanders.
Military Values
Army
• Loyalty
• Duty
• Respect
• Selfless
Service
• Honor
• Integrity
• Personal
Courage
Air Force
•Integrity First
•Service Before Self
•Excellence in All We Do
Navy & Marine Corps
•Honor
•Courage
•Commitment
What is Purple?
• We use the color purple because
purple symbolizes “joint” in the military
world, meaning “all services.” In the
world of color, if you combine Army
green, Air Force blue, Marine red, and
Navy blue you get purple.
Military Culture: Symbols
Uniforms
Military salute
Service flags
Respect for the flag of the United States of
America
• Military ranks
• Special symbols for each branch
• Hooah!
•
•
•
•
How Does Military
Culture Affect Families
and Children of Reserve
Service Members?
Transition Issues
Military children and youth are vulnerable during
major life changes, such as:
• Moving due to permanent change of station
• Parental absence due to long-term
temporary duty
• Mobilization and deployment
• Remaining parent less accessible due to
family tasks
• Graduating to junior/high
school/postsecondary education
Social Issues and Needs
• Adjusting to new or temporary family
configuration
• Managing new situations, especially being
“suddenly military”
• Accommodating physical changes
• Making new contacts
• Acclimating to new places
• Coping with changing schools, sports leagues,
or other out-of-school activities
Emotional Issues and Needs
• Need to know they are loved and cared
for, regardless of their age.
• Emotional issues include:
— Sadness
— Excitement
— Anger
— Anticipation
— Vulnerability
— Confidence
— Loneliness
— New Challenges
— Lack of sense of belonging
Educational Issues and Needs
• Reorienting to new classmates, teachers, schedules,
and inconsistencies in school requirements and
offerings, such as:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Immunization requirements
School calendars/scheduling
Entrance and exit testing
Course content and sequencing
Discipline
Graduation requirements
Special education qualification and services
Records/credit transfers
Benefits of Transition
• Make friends with other military youth
• Make friends from other parts of the country
• Become more responsible
• Adapt more easily to change and become
more flexible
• Experience firsthand what is read/taught in
social studies
• Depend on family for safety, security, and
companionship
The Emotional Cycle
of Deployment
The “New” Emotional Cycle of Deployment
• Each stage is characterized by time frame and
specific emotional challenges
• Failure to negotiate successfully can lead to
strife
• Seven distinct stages:
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
Stage One: Anticipation of Departure
Stage Two: Detachment & Withdrawal
Stage Three: Emotional Disorganization
Stage Four: Recovery & Stabilization
Stage Five: Anticipation of Return
Stage Six: Return Adjustment & Renegotiation
Stage Seven: Reintegration & Stabilization
Stage One:
Anticipation of Departure
• Timeframe: When family members receive orders
• Increased feeling of stress in home
• Reality of change ahead is “sinking in”
• Denial & anticipation of loss
• Focus is on completing family pre-deployment activity
checklist
• Members may feel more emotional
• In case of multiple deployments . . . new cycle may
begin before family has had time to renegotiate shared
vision from last deployment
Stage Two:
Detachment and Withdrawal
• Timeframe: Last week before service member leaves
• Service member is focused on preparing for mission and may
distance self from family
• Anger, arguments may occur as family prepares to protect
themselves from “hurt” of separation
• Communication may be difficult
• In preparation for loss, family may begin to act like the service
member is already gone
• Multiple deployments can result in need to repeatedly create
distance; to feel “numb” and avoid emotional connection
Stage Three:
Emotional Disorganization
• Timeframe: 1-6 weeks into deployment
• Life without the service member may initially feel
overwhelming
• Routines change, responsibilities may be added
• Kids may feel . . .
–
–
–
–
–
Numb and not interested in doing much
More irritable than usual
Have difficulty concentrating – particularly at school
Wish things would go back to “normal”
Surprised because things seem to be moving more smoothly
now that the service member is gone
Stage Four: Recovery,
Stabilization
• Timeframe: Usually between weeks 3 and 5 after deployment
• Family finally starts to settle into routine of life without the
service member
• Coping with changes can be positive for kids
– May enjoy new found responsibilities
– Sense of independence
– Relief that family is functioning well
• Coping with changes can be challenging for kids
– Difficult time accepting changes
– Stressed, depressed, and having difficulty getting things done
– Feel unsupported and worried how will make it through
• Most of the time there is a mixture of both responses!
Stage Five: Anticipation of Return
• Timeframe: About 6 weeks before the service member returns
• Homecoming is coming!
• Family is happy, excited, and feeling a
boost of energy
• Trying to make everything “perfect”
for the return
• Sense of relief that the service member will be home, combined
with worries about whether or not they will be the same
• If the service member came home on leave at some point during
deployment, that experience may be what family members
expect:
– Positive Leave Experience = Positive Homecoming
– Challenging Leave Experience = Challenging Homecoming
True or False: The Myth of the
Perfect Homecoming
•If you love one another, reunions
are easy
• Angry feelings should never
accompany reunions
• First few days following
homecoming are often mix of
relief, happiness, and anxiety
• It’s perfectly natural for
communication to be strained at
first
• Children may not feel
automatically comfortable with
the returning parent
• It may take some time for the
returning service member to
adjust
• If they really love each other,
spouses/significant others will not
change during absence
• Re-established intimacy will
flourish if given time to grow
• Service members never feel let
down/lonely following deployment
• There is no such thing as a perfect
homecoming
Stage Six: Return Adjustment and
Renegotiation
• Timeframe: About 6 weeks after the service member
returns, after initial joy and relief have diminished
• During time of separation the service member and all family
members have changed
• Changes may hold pleasant surprises or may cause conflict
• Family members may feel overwhelmed by the service
member attempts to get to know everyone again
• Everyone needs space and time to readjust
• Entire family must begin to renegotiate how household will
look now that everyone is together again
Stage Seven: Reintegration &
Stabilization
• Timeframe: Up to 6 months (and beyond) after the service
member returns
• Family continues to adjust to having the service member home
• A “new normal” is established regarding routines and
expectations
• Members may begin to feel secure, relaxed, and comfortable
with one another again
• If readjustment challenges resurface, support is important. . .
It’s okay to ask for help if you need it!
Other Post-deployment
Stress-Related Issues
•Combat Stress—Natural result of heavy mental and emotional
work when facing danger in tough conditions; physical symptoms
(headaches, racing heart, fatigue, anger) generally get better with
rest and replenishment
•Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder—Possible response when
deployment has occurred to war zone, natural disaster site, or
urban riot location: physical, mental, and emotional symptoms that
require professional assistance
•Secondary Traumatic Stress—Possibly experienced by family
members upon return of soldier; stress resulting from helping or
wanting to help a suffering or traumatized person
Suggested Healthy Responses by Adults
• Educate self on the impact of deployment on
children/youth and families
• Reflect what you see and hear in terms of their
behavior to help them with understanding
• Be patient, understanding, caring, and firm with
consequences for misbehavior
• Help children/youth identify, accept, and express
what they are feeling
• Model constructive ways of dealing with strong
or challenging emotions such as anger, grief, loss,
or sadness
Basic Needs for
Healthy Growth
• Safety and structure
• Belonging and membership
• Closeness and several good relationships
• Gaining competence and mastering skills
• Independence
• Self-awareness: The ability and the opportunity to act
on that understanding
• Self-worth: The ability and opportunity to contribute
• Other basic needs?
References and Resources
•
Ames, B., Smith, S., Holtrop, K., Blow, A., Hamel, J., MacInnes, M., & Onaga, E. (2011). Meeting the needs of
National Guard and Reserve families: The vital role of Extension. Journal of Extension, 49 (5), Article Number
5FEA7.
•
Army Reserve Family Services. Available at http://www.arfp.org
•
Distribution of Military personnel by state and by selected Locations. Available at
http://siadapp.dmdc.osd.mil/personnel/Pubs.htm.
•
Drummet, A. R., Coleman, M., & Cable, S. (2003). Military families under stress: Implications for family life
education. Family Relations, 52 (3), 279-287.
•
Ginsburg, K. R. (2011). Building resilience in children and teens. (2 nd edition) Elk Grove Village, IL: American
Academy of Pediatrics.
•
How to help military families as a family, friend, or neighbor. (2008). West Lafayette, IN: Military Families
Research Institute at Purdue University. Available at http://www.cfs.purdue.edu/mfri.
•
Huebner, A. J., Mancini, J. A., Gowen, G. L., & Orthner, D. K. (2009). Shadowed by war: Building community
capacity to support military families. Family Relations, 58. 216-228.
•
Military Child Education Coalition. (2004). How communities can support the children and families
of those serving in the National Guard or Reserves. Available at http://www.militarychild.org.
•
National Center for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) of the U.S. Department of Veterans’
Affairs. Available at http://www.ptsd.va.gov.
References and Resources
•
National Council on Family Relations. (2004, April). NCFR policy brief: Building strong communities for
military families. Available at
http://www.ncfr.org.
•
Operation Military Homefront. (2010). Defense Manpower Data Center. Available at
www.operationhomefront.net.
•
Operation Military Kids. Available at http://www.operationmilitarykids.org.
•
Pincus, S. H., House, R., Christenson, J., & Adler, L. E. (June, 2001).The emotional cycle of deployment: A
military family perspective.
Army Medical Department Journal, Quarterly Report No. A597093.
Available at
http://www.hooah4health.com/deployment/familymatters/emotionalcycle2.htm
•
Richardson, A., Chandra, A., Martin, L. T., Setodji, C. M., Hallmark, B. W., Campbell, N. F., Hawkins, S. A., &
Grody, P. (2011).
Effects of soldiers’ deployment on children’s academic performance and behavioral
health. Monograph. Santa Monica, CA:
RAND Corporation. Available at
http://www.rand.org/content/dam/rand/pubs/monographs/2011/RAND_MG1095.sum.pdf
•
U. S. Coast Guard. Available at http://www.gocoastguard.com/ and http://www.uscg.mil/top/missions /
Thank you for your attention!
This PowerPoint® presentation and accompanying handouts and activities are
adapted for use in this program by permission of Darrin W. Allen, Director of
the National 4-H/Army Youth Development Project, from Chapters One, Two,
Five, and Six of the Operation: Military Kids Ready, Set, Go! Training Manual (8th
edition, 2010).
Carole Gnatuk, Ed.D.
Senior Extension Specialist for Child Development
Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service
March 2012