1. Cycle of Deployment and Family Well Being
Chapter 19
Cycle of Deployment and Family Well Being

2. Combat Stress Continuum of posttraumatic stress symptoms
Family can be affected by subclinical thresholds; therefore, early intervention is needed, particularly in the context of the family.
Typical individual and family-level interventions should include short-term brief therapy models, involving problem solving, behavioral modification techniques, and principles of cognitive and narrative therapies.

3. Deployment Stressors: Predeployment
Stressful tasks need to be completed.
Worries about deployment impact on spouses, children, and stability of marriage.
Psychoeducational predeployment interventions offered by military installations for military members and their families on items such as:
How to handle the deployment and subsequent family separation.
Improving life skills.
Finance, household responsibilities, parenting struggles, single parenthood and communication skill building (e.g., communicating with children about deployment).
Additionally, information and referral follow-up services, and planting seeds for reintegration.

4. Deployment/Sustainment Stressors
Sustainment can be taxing for the stay-behind parent and children for a number of different reasons: 
Military spouses take on new responsibilities that were typically handled by the service member spouse. 
These responsibilities range from household maintenance and managing the family finances to becoming the sole parent for the children. 
This reorganization of responsibilities and routines can become particularly stressful for the remaining spouses and children. 
Military support programs during deployment
Respite care
Psychoeducational boosters, such as life-skills classes, etc.
Short-term counseling for persistent psychological symptoms for spouses and children
Military OneSource:
A 24/7 web-based and telephonic based referral service that offers service members and their spouses referrals for free short term confidential stabilization counseling services in the civilian sector; it also provide many other support resources.
Support groups

5. Redeployment/Postdeployment Stressors
The redeployment stage begins with a honeymoon period that can last from a few days to a number of weeks, which occurs when the military members return to their family after the deployment.
Postdeployment occurs after the honeymoon period and can be the most stressful stage of the cycle of deployment.
Developmental milestones have changed family members.
Spouses have become more autonomous.
Children have advanced through various life stages.  
Repeat deployments exacerbate the challenge.
Military programs to support redeployment and postdeployment.
Family education and counseling services regarding:
positive communication
gaining an understanding of appropriate expectations
taking time to become reacquainted with one another
Helping families reconstitute
Recognizing the multitude of emotions

6. Deployment Impact on Military Spouses and Marital Relationships
Higher divorce rates
Difficulty expressing emotion between partners
Intimacy problems
Caregiver burden
Secondary trauma
Intimate partner violence
Victims may be afraid to report it (career implications)

7. Impact on Children
Emotional distress of parent’s absence and worry about safe return
Risk for depression, behavioral difficulties, irritability and impulsiveness
Increased risk of child abuse

8. Family Advocacy Program
Aim: prevention and treatment of family violence and abuse
Two types of reporting options for domestic violence
Restricted
Victim reports domestic violence to one of the following professionals: a victim advocate, medical providers, or a chaplain.
This avenue affords victims the opportunity to receive assistance without the notification of law enforcement or the chain of command.
Unrestricted
Report given to victim advocates, military police officials, or military chain of command.
Victims continue to receive prompt assistance with safety and advocacy, while also engaging the processes that ensure offender accountability (e.g., police reports and commander notification).
If a victim elects to conduct a restricted report, he or she may then determine to change the report to unrestricted at a later date.
Abuse hotline numbers

9. Family Advocacy Program (Continued)
Core aim: Assessing for the safety of potential child abuse or spousal abuse victims
When a victim’s safety is in question
Military commanders physically separate victims and offenders.
Military protective orders issued to potential service member offenders.
Services
Couples counseling
Psychoeducational classes
Collaboration with local child protective service agencies
Counseling services
Offender accountability
Group and individual
Referral sources
Self
Command
Collateral agencies
Within the installation
Nearby civilian communities

10. Family Advocacy Program (Continued)
Victim advocacy services
Available 24/7
Safety planning, system navigation, legal advocacy, and case management coordination
Treatment components
Helping professionals typically utilize cognitive behavioral therapy, narrative therapies, and support groups in their work with victims
Offenders are typically mandated into an offender group where they learn:
techniques that challenge their belief systems
new skills aimed at behavior change
Military family life consultants (MFLC’s)
Assist communities during times of high deployment
Short-term problem solving (community based, nonmedical) confidential counseling for service members and their spouses in distress.
Reduce stigma attached to seeking help within a military environment
Offered at military community counseling centers, in military units, at local schools, summer camps and child care facilities. The family life consultants are trained to help families deal with family separation and deployment stressors using a problem-solving model.