Deployment and the Military Family
Deployment and the Military Family
Amanda Meadows
SOC 101
Susan Fouriner
August 6, 2010
Deployments are a difficult time for military families. Deployment of a loved one affects the whole family. The service member may worry about how his family may fare without him or even miss milestones in his children’s lives. The spouse has to function as a single parent and take on responsibilities left behind by the service member. The children may suffer from behavioral problems and not adjust well to having a parent deployed.
Few studies have been done to examine the affects of deployment on military families. There are many hardships faced by military families. Unless you have experienced the demanding lifestyle of the families you truly cannot appreciate the sacrifices they make to protect the country they love so dearly.
Service members who have children at the time of their deployment may miss milestones that range from learning to walk to learning to drive. They also miss birthdays, holidays, and weddings and in some cases the death of a loved one. It is not always possible to relieve a service member of duties to return home for the funeral of a loved one.
The spouse now has to act as a single parent and take on dual roles of both parents. The spouse must now budget expenses and pay bills without the help of the service member. Making time for afterschool activities and homework for multiple children proves to be challenging. With all of these extra responsibilities the spouse must also find time for house and yard work. Deployment can put many strains on a marriage.
Often children have more problems dealing with a deployment than adults. Young children do not understand why mommy or daddy had to leave for such a long time. Older children may be angry that a parent is gone and may also worry about the parent’s well being in a war zone. In any case it is likely to see behavioral problems in children of all ages.
In the eight years following September
Amanda Meadows
SOC 101
Susan Fouriner
August 6, 2010
Deployments are a difficult time for military families. Deployment of a loved one affects the whole family. The service member may worry about how his family may fare without him or even miss milestones in his children’s lives. The spouse has to function as a single parent and take on responsibilities left behind by the service member. The children may suffer from behavioral problems and not adjust well to having a parent deployed.
Few studies have been done to examine the affects of deployment on military families. There are many hardships faced by military families. Unless you have experienced the demanding lifestyle of the families you truly cannot appreciate the sacrifices they make to protect the country they love so dearly.
Service members who have children at the time of their deployment may miss milestones that range from learning to walk to learning to drive. They also miss birthdays, holidays, and weddings and in some cases the death of a loved one. It is not always possible to relieve a service member of duties to return home for the funeral of a loved one.
The spouse now has to act as a single parent and take on dual roles of both parents. The spouse must now budget expenses and pay bills without the help of the service member. Making time for afterschool activities and homework for multiple children proves to be challenging. With all of these extra responsibilities the spouse must also find time for house and yard work. Deployment can put many strains on a marriage.
Often children have more problems dealing with a deployment than adults. Young children do not understand why mommy or daddy had to leave for such a long time. Older children may be angry that a parent is gone and may also worry about the parent’s well being in a war zone. In any case it is likely to see behavioral problems in children of all ages.
In the eight years following September
References: * Military Families under Stress: Implications for Family Life Education * Amy Reinkober Drummet, Marilyn Coleman, Susan Cable * Family Relations, Vol. 52, No. 3 (Jul., 2003), pp. 279-287 * Published by: National Council on Family Relations * Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/3700279 Chandra, a, burns, r, tanielian, t, jaycox, l.h., & scott, m.m. (2008, april). Understanding the impact of deployment on children and families. Retrieved August3, 2010 from http://www.rand.org/pubs/working_papers/2008/RAND_WR566.pdf huebner, Ph.D, a, & mancini, Ph.D, j.a. (2005, june 30). Adjustments among adolescents in military families when a parent is deployed. Retrieved August3,2010 from http://www.mfri.purdue.edu/content/reports/Adjustments%20among%20605.pdf