Family And Military Relationships In The Military Family

Kaplow, J. B., Layne, C. M., Saltzman, W. R., Cozza, S. J., & Pynoos, R. S. (2013). Using Multidimensional Grief Theory to Explore the Effects of Deployment, Reintegration, and Death on Military Youth and Families. Clinical Child and Family Psychology Review Clin Child Fam Psychol Rev, 16(3), 322-340. doi:10.1007/s10567-013-0143-1

Military life can be a big amount of stress for children. There is multiple deployments where they go through long separations from their parents. Children even could experience a parent getting injured or possibly a death. That all is the reality for children who has a parent in the active duty military(website 1). There is such a huge impact on children’s mental health and high rates of trauma from them experiencing their parents going on deployments. More than two million American children have had a parent deploy to Iraq or Afghanistan. At least 19,000 children have had a parent wounded in action and over 2,200 children have lost a parent in Iraq or Afghanistan(website 1). After all of this occurring in their lives, it then causes a huge change in the child. These changes are lashing out in anger, changes in school performance,

Military children are in a league of their own, and at very young ages are thrown into situations of great stress. Approximately 1.2 million children live in the U.S. Military families (Kelly. 2003) and at least 700,000 of them have had at least one parent deployed (Johnson et al. 2007). Every child handles a deployment differently, some may regress in potty training, and others may become extremely aggressive. Many different things can happen, in most cases when a parent deploys and the child becomes difficult to handle, it can cause a massive amount of stress on the parent that is not deployed as well as added stress on the parent who is deployed. There are three stages of a deployment, pre-deployment, deployment, and reintegration,

War has tremendous effects on the human mind and impacts all parties involved. Remnants of war can dramatically affect relationships with loved ones and create greater problems ranging from financial problems to psychological damage that has more profound effects on the family infrastructure and its operation. The notion of war produces pressures and strains on the family that is not experienced everyday in the routine family life. Family member who experience PTSD from their service in the military also places unforeseen weights and consequences for the family to carry. There are specific effects distinct to a parent, a spouse, and children when a loved one is serving their country. The relationships between a service men and these family members are transformed with the absence and their reintegration.

A military family living in a state with marriage equality will now receive federal benefits now that DOMA is repeated. These benefits include military health insurance, increased based and housing allowances, relocation assistance, and surviving spousal benefits. The Department of Defense will extend all benefits to same-sex spouses of military personnel. It includes medical, dental, interment at Arlington National Cemetery and Basic Allowance for Housing. For same-sex marriage the Department will implement these benefit changes.

Deployment and Reintegration is one the greatest challenges military families and children have to face on a daily basis. When a family member deploys or reintegrates within the entire family, it not only affects the service member but it affects the entire family. It can often lead families and children with a negative mental health and wellbeing. Bello (2015) reported that most families and children (80.5% required less than one month to adjust to the return of their deployed parent. In this finding, the families and children were quick to adjust to having their family member back in the home. The findings are interesting because when compared with another family, the findings are drastically different. Boberiene (2014) found that three out of every four families feel that reintegration after the first three months is the most stressful phase of a deployment. This is because the family experiences many emotions while the member is away. In the first statistic, families and children didn’t require as much time to adjust to reintegration as much as the families did in Bobriene’s study. This shows that all families and children handle reintegration differently and some may require more time than others. The situation in Boberiene’s study is similar to what Chandra (2009) had said about families and children, she stated that the number of months for deployment had a huge impact on how children handled reintegration. Although reintegration may seem like a joyful and positive

Deployment and integration is one the greatest challenges military families and children have to face on a daily basis. When a family member deploys or reintegrates within the entire family, it not only affects the service member but it affects the entire family. Deployment can often lead to families and children, experiencing a negative mental health outcomes and compromised wellbeing. Bello (2015) found that most families and children (80.5% required less than one month to adjust to the return of their deployed parent (Bello, 2015). Accordingly, the families and children are often quick to adjust to having their family member back in the home. Interestingly, discoveries are surprising in light of the fact that when contrasted to another family, the discoveries are definitely unique. Boberiene (2014) found that three out of every four families feel that reintegration after the first three months is the most stressful phase of a deployment (Boberiene, 2014). This is because the family experiences many emotions while the member is away.

But, who doesn’t not love getting neat stuff in the mail? A short, handwritten note, tucked in a greeting card, trumps electronic communication.

Psychological problems, the absence of the loved one, the uncertainty to know if their loved ones are alive or dead are challenges that take a toll on these families emotional well-being, (Park, 2011). Relocation is one challenge these families often experience. Park believes that children experienced a change in chores, schools, friends, and environment which can affect their emotional and psychological health (2011). History has shown that family members have a strong way of adaptation and endurance. However, in recent years, deployments have been more frequent and military members stay away from home for longer periods of time. The happiest moment in their lives is when they are all reunited that is why the length and frequency of deployment can make a difference for service members and their families. The shorter and less frequent the time of deployment, the less of a risk for

This article focuses on family dynamics with military families who because of being deployed for long periods of time, are going through custody battles. They face distinct stresses that must be taken into account when they enter the legal system. This current day and time the military is not all men anymore, it’s now largely diverse with women. With this in mind some children are faced with both parents having to be deployed and maybe put into the grandparent’s custody. Courts are seeing more divorces and custody battles. When a spouse has to be deployed for months at a time up to a year it can put major strains on not only the caregiver, but the entire family. The adjustment to deployment or reintegration can be traumatic, especially if preexisting

Joseph Goldberg, MD, mentioned in his article Reactive Attachment Disorder, “The absence of emotional warmth during the first few years of life can negatively affect a child’s entire future.” The detachment of a mother and child causes a condition called Reactive Attachment Disorder (RAD), which is a condition in children who do not form a healthy emotional attachment with their mothers usually age 5 or younger. There is no medication for this disorder only counseling and emotional exercises. RAD leads to depression, aggression, learning difficulties, problems at school, and inability to form meaningful relationships. Giving us insight that our military children futures are at risk of failure in

Birmes, P., Raynaud, J., Daubisse, L., Brunet, A., Arbus, C., Klein, R., … Schmitt, L. (2009). Children’s Enduring PTSD Symptoms are Related to Their Family’s Adaptability and Cohesion. Community Mental Health Journal; New York, 45(4), 290–9. https://doi.org/http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10597-008-9166-3

According to statistics about 40 percent of military spouses are stay at home parents. In the civilian world the percentage of stay at home parents is only 23, about half of what the military population numbers are. There are several reasons as to why so many families come to this decision.

Military families grow up with the same experiences; an absence parent figure, no real place to call home, and distance within the family, however my parents made an effort to keep our life as normal as possible. Although I only saw my father for two week intervals every couple of months, he was never an unknown character to my younger self. We had regular video and phone conversations when he was available, my parents discussed a decision together before reaching an agreement, and when me or siblings got in trouble we had to call him and explain the situation. The importance of communication, love, and friendship my mother stressed over the years led to a great relationship with my parents and my two siblings despite the large age difference

In the Norfolk, Virginia area there is an astronomical number of military families who live within city limits and are accompanied by the non military families. Having the privilege of experiencing both lifestyles over the years of my life, it brings with gratitude, and encouragement to distinguish the many similarities and differences each lifestyle represents. Every military spouse knows the lifestyle is immensely different than Civilian families and how relentless at times it might be, while the civilian families in turn may not realize what it’s like behind the curtains. There are many similarities us military wives and families and civilian wives and families go through, but there are significantly more differences and sacrifices us military spouses go through than civilian wives could even imagine.