Chapter 20 Supporting National Guard and Reserve Members and Their Families Supporting National Guard and Reserve Members and Their Families

Distinct Aspects of the Global War on Terrorism (GWOT)  Greater reliance on National Guard and Reserve members  Reserves and National Guard forces shifted fro. a strategic reserve force to an operational one to compensate for reduced active force in all volunteer force.  Reserves are almost 40% of GWOT forces.  Multiple extended deployments  Shortened respites between deployments  Lack of distinct battle zones and clear zones, and constant threat of sniper attacks and IED’s  Heightens risk of injury  Intensifies stress levels  Grinding tension between terror and tedium  Wounded soldiers outpace fatalities.  Large numbers of females and parents of young children deployed.  Greater reliance on National Guard and Reserve members  Reserves and National Guard forces shifted fro. a strategic reserve force to an operational one to compensate for reduced active force in all volunteer force.  Reserves are almost 40% of GWOT forces.  Multiple extended deployments  Shortened respites between deployments  Lack of distinct battle zones and clear zones, and constant threat of sniper attacks and IED’s  Heightens risk of injury  Intensifies stress levels  Grinding tension between terror and tedium  Wounded soldiers outpace fatalities.  Large numbers of females and parents of young children deployed.

Table 1. Total Deployed Military Personnel and Percent of Total Deployed Personnel by Service for OEF and OIF Conflicts as of February 2009 Source: Department of Defense Office of Public Communication. CTS Deployment File Baseline Report (Contingency tracking system), February 2009.

Unique Stressors on Weekend Warriors and Their Families  Career and work-related issues for warriors who stop-out of a civilian workplace or career with the intention of returning to it postcombat:  “My work is, and has been, very supportive of my time being in the military. The down side is you miss friends and co-workers, some opportunities for advancement, pay, retirement and any training or skills that may be taught during your absence. Additionally when you return, you have to begin over with leave accrual, certifications, training, etc. And, you generally see a change in the dynamics of your work relationships similar to what you first experience with your family.”  Rapid changes in the nature of work influenced by 21 st century changes in social and economic forces  Weekend warriors live in civilian culture while participating in the military world (with its different culture) on a part-time basis  Unlike regular active duty forces, they are likely to live great distances from their families.  Therefore, families, too, experience a greater sense of isolation.  Deploy as individuals, not as units (less camaraderie).  Health care implications.  Less military peer support during reintegration.  Yellow Ribbon Reintegration Program provides services that attempt to alleviate these problems.  Career and work-related issues for warriors who stop-out of a civilian workplace or career with the intention of returning to it postcombat:  “My work is, and has been, very supportive of my time being in the military. The down side is you miss friends and co-workers, some opportunities for advancement, pay, retirement and any training or skills that may be taught during your absence. Additionally when you return, you have to begin over with leave accrual, certifications, training, etc. And, you generally see a change in the dynamics of your work relationships similar to what you first experience with your family.”  Rapid changes in the nature of work influenced by 21 st century changes in social and economic forces  Weekend warriors live in civilian culture while participating in the military world (with its different culture) on a part-time basis  Unlike regular active duty forces, they are likely to live great distances from their families.  Therefore, families, too, experience a greater sense of isolation.  Deploy as individuals, not as units (less camaraderie).  Health care implications.  Less military peer support during reintegration.  Yellow Ribbon Reintegration Program provides services that attempt to alleviate these problems.

Source: Harnett, C. & Gafney, M. (2011). Ensuring equality after the war for National Guard and reserve forces: Revisiting the Yellow Ribbon initiative. In Treating Young Veterans: Promoting Resilience Through Practice and Advocacy, D. Kelly, S. Barksdale, & D. Gitelson (Eds.), New York: Springer Publishers. Used with the permission of the publisher. Table: 2 Selected points of difference between National Guard and Reserve Forces as compared to Active Military Forces

Reservist Family Struggles  Ambiguity of who is “in or out” of the family and which roles/tasks are assigned to which members.  Financial issues (e.g., bill paying, budgeting around deployment income losses).  Resilience/preparedness to cope with changes the family member’s absence brings.  Arrangement of legal matters.  Awareness of military resources for deployment support.  One’s perceived efficacy to assume additional household responsibilities in the absence of the deployed other.  Ambiguity of who is “in or out” of the family and which roles/tasks are assigned to which members.  Financial issues (e.g., bill paying, budgeting around deployment income losses).  Resilience/preparedness to cope with changes the family member’s absence brings.  Arrangement of legal matters.  Awareness of military resources for deployment support.  One’s perceived efficacy to assume additional household responsibilities in the absence of the deployed other.

Deployment Cycle Impact on Military Families  Strains in family relations/preexisting family stressors are often exacerbated.  Younger families may lack the required life skills for proactive stress management while families experiencing their first deployment may be unfamiliar with navigating the complexity of military systems to have needs met.  Five cycles with different impacts:  Predeployment  Deployment  Sustainment  Redeployment  Post deployment  Strains in family relations/preexisting family stressors are often exacerbated.  Younger families may lack the required life skills for proactive stress management while families experiencing their first deployment may be unfamiliar with navigating the complexity of military systems to have needs met.  Five cycles with different impacts:  Predeployment  Deployment  Sustainment  Redeployment  Post deployment

Impact of Each Deployment Cycle  Predeployment  Typified by periods of denial alternating with anticipation of loss. The spouse may react to the new psychological and emotional distance from the other, leading to verbal conflicts.  Need to set day-to-day family affairs in order and to confront the fears aroused by impending separation.  Deployment  “Roller coaster” period of mixed emotions possibly punctuated with feelings of disorientation, of being overwhelmed and of abandonment. Other emotions may include feelings of anger, sadness and heightened anxiety. Difficulty sleeping and security issues may also surface within this phase.  Sustainment  New routines emerge and families seek new sources of social support.  Children’s reactions highly individualized.  Redeployment  Anticipation and excitement of homecoming by all family members.  Begins the month before homecoming, when the spouse may experience some conflicting emotions around potential threats to independence or challenges to new roles and routines, and decisions made in the other’s absence.  In anticipation of homecoming, there may also be increased initiatives around preparing the home.  Postdeployment  Honeymoon period temporary  Renegotiation of roles and routines/increased family tension  Anger and resentment may surface in member who remained in household  Changed relationships with children who are older now  Predeployment  Typified by periods of denial alternating with anticipation of loss. The spouse may react to the new psychological and emotional distance from the other, leading to verbal conflicts.  Need to set day-to-day family affairs in order and to confront the fears aroused by impending separation.  Deployment  “Roller coaster” period of mixed emotions possibly punctuated with feelings of disorientation, of being overwhelmed and of abandonment. Other emotions may include feelings of anger, sadness and heightened anxiety. Difficulty sleeping and security issues may also surface within this phase.  Sustainment  New routines emerge and families seek new sources of social support.  Children’s reactions highly individualized.  Redeployment  Anticipation and excitement of homecoming by all family members.  Begins the month before homecoming, when the spouse may experience some conflicting emotions around potential threats to independence or challenges to new roles and routines, and decisions made in the other’s absence.  In anticipation of homecoming, there may also be increased initiatives around preparing the home.  Postdeployment  Honeymoon period temporary  Renegotiation of roles and routines/increased family tension  Anger and resentment may surface in member who remained in household  Changed relationships with children who are older now

Interventions to Mitigate Deployment Impact on Families  Military initiatives and community partnerships  “Family Fitness”  Military OneSource Center Department of Defense Outreach Initiatives for Military Families  Military initiatives and community partnerships  “Family Fitness”  Military OneSource Center Department of Defense Outreach Initiatives for Military Families Source: Department of Defense. (2009b). Report of the Second Quadrennial Quality of Life Review. Office of the Deputy Under Secretary of Defense, (Military Community and Family Policy), p.19.