...The Effects of Military Service on Children and Families Abstract When a service member is deployed or sent on a tour, this has a drastic change in the life of the service member’s family especially the children. Being the family of a military service member is already a difficult and complex lifestyle; deployments don’t make it any easier. Military deployment is a unique experience affecting both service members who make sacrifices for our country, and the loved ones who await their return. The potential for deployment is a constant reality. Today’s military deployments may occur in rapid succession and be extended. Therefore, military personnel and their families must always be deployment-ready. Deployments are not easy and can create significant stress for U.S. military men and women and their families. In many cases deployments cans create problems in families. It can contribute to marital problems, family dysfunction, and emotional or behavioral disturbance in spouses and children. The primary purpose of this research paper is to describe the effects of military deployments on a families and children. This paper will discuss the effects and they type of effects the military families and children are faced with. “Deployments in the United States have increased greatly in the past 10 years. Families and children are psychiatrically affected by these deployments and recent studies are clarifying these effects.” (James 2012, p.16) Deployments in military...
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...Effects of Deployment on Military Families: A Literature Review Rhonda Steffek Columbia College of Missouri Abstract This review examines the many issues and effects that military deployments have on families. The continuation of Middle Eastern conflicts require a constant flow of military operations in this region. Deployments cause military service members, which can also be spouses and parents, to leave their homes. This is usually for extended periods of time in support of combat operations away from their loved ones. Researchers report findings that show associations between deployments and increased alcohol and drug use, relationship and communication problems, and developmental delays in children. Deployments create strong emotional stressors, greatly impacting these military families. Military families may need to seek additional help from social workers to address the negative effects that deployments tend to create. A recommendation for future studies into the positive effects of deployments is also discussed as this can be useful for social workers to develop service plans. Keywords: literature review, military family, deployment Effects of Deployment on Military Families: A Literature Review Military families are exposed to a myriad of challenges that many civilian families never have to face. One of the greatest challenges is deployment. A deployment requires a service member to be separated from their family for extended periods of time...
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...Affects of Multiple Deployments on Military Service Members and Families during Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) and Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF): Time Period 2001-2012 Gina Pagano-Briglin, MSW University of the Incarnate Word 3 December 2012 I. Introduction Since September 11, 2001, there have been significant changes in the security measures of air travel, financial security, but one of the most significant changes is that of military operations. The United States began combat operations in Iraq and Afghanistan on October 7, 2001 in response to the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks officially referred to as Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) and Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF). Since October 2001, about 1.9 million service members have been deployed to Afghanistan and Iraq (Asbury & Martin, 2011). OEF/OIF has many unique features with regard to the military forces being sent to fight oversees. The all-volunteer military has experienced multiple deployments to the combat areas, with an increased use of the National Guard and Reserve Components, higher numbers of deployed women and parents of young children, and increases in the number of service members surviving severe injuries and other side effects from combat (Shaw & Hector, 2010). Service members may be subjected to more than one deployment. Studies show that overall about 40% of current military service members have been deployed more than once, with over one quarter serving...
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...The military of the United States is installed in more than 150 countries all over the the world, with above 130,000 of its active-duty employees serving outdoor the United States and its territories. US employees are seeing active combat in Afghanistan. Others are installed as part of several peace keeping missions, military attachés, or are part of embassy and consulate security. The objective of this study is to investigate the association between military deployment and the effect it has on the significant other. Since 2001, positioning has been longer and more regular than in the past. In addition, military nuptials have been under high levels of hassle following changes in the deployment tendencies. The level of danger, the amount of...
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...are part of military families. With over a decade in war, multiple and prolonged absences of the military parent have taken a toll on the military youth. With deployments and Temporary Duty (TDY) separations have become a way of life for these families. Although it may seem they are accustomed to these separations, recent studies have found increased emotional and behavioral difficulties associated to the military deployment cycle for youth of all ages. Adolescents, who are naturally going through a period of marked changes in their lives, and as they are trying to find their identity and learn to be independent, parental separation due to the military can impact their development. This paper includes research and a literature review on adolescents and the military life, how being part of a military family affects their social, emotional, cognitive and physical development, as well as the findings from an informational interview with a School Counselor. Introduction The United States military force consists of more than 2.2 million voluntary service members (Department of Defense; DoD, 2011). In 2007, approximately 1.88 million US Children had at least one parent serving in the military (Reed, Bell, & Edwards, 2011, p. 1676). The experience of being part of a military family is unique and rewarding, but at the same time is filled with sacrifices that impact the family as a whole. One of the most impacting factors that is currently affecting youth is deployments. Over a decade...
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...How Deployment Stress Affects Children and Families Keith Kovach Daymar Institute BMG 124 December 11, 2013 With all the frequent moves of military families, absence of either parent to a combat zone represents a challenge of a different magnitude. The one that stays behind (usually the mother), more responsibilities, finances, loneliness, and fear for the deployed soldier’s safety can cause anxiety, isolation, sadness and feelings of being overwhelmed. In my experience during my deployments, my family has felt isolation, loneliness, and stress of handling daily tasks without me. My son has taken his anger out on his mother because I wasn’t there to be with them. Studies have showed that Post-traumatic Stress Disorder not only hinders the soldier’s wellbeing, but also the spouse and children for soldiers with families as well as that of soldiers that are single because they take their frustration out on girlfriends, boyfriends, friends, and family. In Archives and Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine, children, whose parents serve in the military have different reactions when one of their parents deploys. Stress varies with age and presence of preexisting psychological or behavioral problems and how one deals with the problem. Young children can show separation anxiety, tantrums, and changes in their eating habits. Older children can change in how they perform in their academics and develop some behavior issues or physical complaints...
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...Combat experiences have an effect on couple relationships often times it causes difficulty in expression of feelings, intimacy, and adjustment which could lead to interpersonal violence (Savitsky, Illingworth, & DuLaney, 2009). Some service members returning from deployment who have been diagnosed with PTSD have been found to be associated with partner violence. “Battlemind is the “soldier’s inner strength to face fear and adversity with courage”” (Savitsky, Illingworth, & DuLaney, 2009). Battlemind is very crucial during time of deployment and when in a combat zone, however, if battlemind is used while at home in an aggressive situation it could lead to family violence. During deployment most families become one parent families so stress starts to build for the at home parent. It has been found that military families show more maltreatment during the time of deployment than when a parent was not deployed. Due to relocation making it difficult to create new bonds children face behavioral and academic challenges. The Cycle of Deployment often causes stress on a child because of anxiety, learning to cope with an injured parent, and learning to cope with the absence of a parent. When a service member comes home wounded mentally or physically it puts a stressor on the family. Most...
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...Nicole Perrone Marian Gagnon 9 February 2015 English Composition A great deal of service members have been to war in the past decade. Over half of these soldiers have been deployed more than once. Deployment does not only effect the soldier, but also his family, friends, and doctors. War affects everybody and it changes some people’s outlooks on life in general. There are many different situations that soldiers and their families must face upon returning from war. Psychological and physical difficulties due to the intensity and horrors of warfare have been recorded in history since the Trojan war and in all American wars. Even though the physical damage may heal, the mental stresses do not lessen over time. Psychological disorders from deployment ranges from insomnia to poor dieting. Mental illness has become so common in returning soldiers that there is officially a name for it which is, “post Deployment Syndrome,” and affects many different people who are around the returning soldier. Like war, PDS symptoms affect everyone around them. There is no specific way to test and see if someone has a mental disorder, so they are tested through direct interviews. Almost half of a million U.S. troops have been affected by PDS and can have any of the following symptoms: polytrauma, combat stress, blast injury, hypersensitivity, PTSD, post concussive syndrome. No matter how mentally strong each soldier is, PDS is very hard to avoid. Soldiers have to deal with the aftermath of killing...
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...Disorder PTSD- Post-traumatic stress disorder is a mental health problem that can occur after one goes through a traumatic event in their life. Today, military people or people who struggled with challenges, such as injuries caused by the attack on September eleven, could have been experiencing the PTSD. Doctors, families, Psychologists, and scientists are very concerned about this disorder and are finding right ways to resolve this problem. Some scientific studies have been completed over the past few years. The studies were regarding the impacts of combat deployments and their relation to spouse abuse. Research in the article “Psychology of Violence” shows that numerous psychological and behavioral outcomes are related to post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The most common symptoms were depression, alcohol intoxication, and spouse abuse. The September eleven, terrorist attack, serving in military, and being deployed into a war has a direct impact on soldiers and their families. The article gives us three studies that examined the effects of deployment on spouse abuse. The first study discovered that returning Army soldiers report abuse rates that lasted longer than six months (McCarroll et. al.,2000). The second and third study found no association between deployment and self-reported spouse abuse during a post deployment period neither wives nor soldiers reported it (McCarroll et.al., 2003). In this essay I would like to talk about Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, and how...
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...Military service members who are and have been deployed to the Middle East show high levels of emotional distress and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Both active duty and reserve component soldiers who have fought in the war (i.e. experienced combat) have been exposed to high levels of traumatic stress. As a consequence, many have gone on to develop a wide range of mental health problems such as PTSD. “According to researchers, PTSD is a long-term reaction to war-zone exposure that can last up to a few minutes, hours, several weeks, and for some a lifetime.” Common symptoms include: emotional numbing, anxiety, feelings of guilt, and depression. If the disorder turns chronic veterans may experience functional impairment (Friedman, M. J. et al., 1994, p. 265).” PTSD is one of the most prevalent mental health disorders from veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan. In general, the younger veterans are the more likely they are to develop PTSD when deployed. Deployment related issues from veterans may have a devastating impact on their relationships back home. “Numerous research studies have linked PTSD to family relationship problems (Goff, Crow, Reisberg, &ump; Hamilton, 2006).” PTSD is likely to be “the” contributor to relationship problems that are not related to deployments. Spouses or partners of veterans who are diagnosed with PTSD are at greater risk of hostility and aggression in their relationship than spouses whose veterans are not diagnosed. To combat this direction...
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...Military Versus Civilian Alcohol Dependency Military personnel are more likely to be alcohol dependent than civilians, which is due to the high stress and pressures of the military culture, lifestyle, combat, and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Imagine what it feels like returning home after a 12 month deployment to the Middle East. What do you do when you feel there is nowhere to go? You go where you feel most comfortable--alcohol. There are many causes and factors for alcoholism. These factors influence many people to drink and contribute to a higher count of alcoholism in our society. Alcoholism is sometimes caused or influenced by genetic, psychological, social, and environmental factors. This also includes how it affects your body and behavior. Some additional factors include age, family history, steady drinking over time, mental health and depression, social and cultural factors, and combining alcohol with medications or illegal drugs. (Emmite, et.al, Remedy’s health communities’ mental health; alcohol abuse, May 2001) One of the main causes of alcoholism is the genetic component. There are some scientists that suggest that there is a genetic component that plays a role in certain areas of alcoholism. Those areas are having an increased risk for alcoholism, having an increased tolerance, and having ongoing cravings for alcohol. Although the genes themselves have not been identified, there have been a number of studies. Some of these studies were...
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...sudden weight loss may be noticeable. On the opposite spectrum of that you may find a person who overeats to compensate their depression. d. Arrangements – A person suffering from severe depression may choose to make arrangements if they are considering suicide. These arrangements can include care for their family and pets in their absence. 2. Research a disorder associated with stress or mental health. - PTSD A military deployment can take a toll on any given person. The toll can be seen in many different forms such as emotional and mental disorders. These types of disorders can destroy an individual from the inside, out. Now multiply those symptoms by the number of deployments some soldiers have endured and the chance for mental disorders like post- traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) increase drastically. There have been many studies done to determine the correlation between the number of deployments and PTSD. One particular study was conducted with the help of the US Navy Bureau of Medicine and Surgery under the Wounded, III, and Injured/Psychological Health/Traumatic Brain Injury Program to determine if the amount of dwell time a soldier has between deployments decreases PTSD. It has been shown by this study and several others that...
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...The Effects of Combat Deployment Patricia Rochedieu Liberty University Introduction to Human Services HSCO 500 Mrs. Jennifer Griffin November 17, 2014 Abstract The relocation and adjustment processes occurring within persons facing involuntary deployment are most certainly filled with anxiety and uncertainly. This discussion will focus on women veterans who have served on the front lines and the affects of combat deployment. Examinations defining the trials and tribulations faced by the female military member will place attention on the psychological and psychosocial transactions that occur during military operations and the challenges women face. Expansion of this topic will include a dialogue that offers insight into the growing concerns shaping the outcomes of the female member’s deployment to include military sexual trauma, eating disorders, depression, substance abuse, adjustment disorders, sleep disturbances and spiritual and existential struggles. Although this topic will only provide a brief glimpse into the female veteran’s plight it opens up a forum for further discussions within this topic with the intentions of highlighting the effects of combat deployment on women veterans who served on the front lines. Women Veterans: The Effects of Combat Deployment The participation of women deployed to combat areas throughout the world is vital to the successful outcomes of any mission. Women in the military are well trained and possess specific military skills...
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...Crisis in America How it has affected our Military! Yolanda Vaughters MSL 5200 Crisis Communication Since the year 2000, the United States of America had been hit with some major crisis that seriously affected the military. The attack on September 11, 2001, has changed the lives of people around the world especially our military in which thousands of lives has been lost or affected by the War on Terrorism. The terrorist attack on September 11, 2001 that hit the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center in New York, the Department of Defense (Pentagon) in Arlington, Virginia, and Shanksville, Pennsylvania led to the Global War on Terrorism. The Global War on Terrorism and the invading into Iraq for weapons of mass destruction led to a major change in the military. The United States military have been fighting two wars for the last decade: Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan and Operation Iraqi Freedom in Iraq. On September 11, 2001 around 8:45 Tower 1 was hit by American Airlines, Flight 11 out of Boston, Massachusetts and United Airlines, Flight 175 hit Tower 2 at exactly 9:03 which both buildings collapsed. (Giuliani 2002) The location of where the Towers collapse became to be known as Ground Zero. Over thousands of police officers, fire men, volunteers, and the National Guard patrol the streets of New York helping with the recovery. That day as a result of this evil attack on the United...
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...Examining United States Military Culture from a Civilian Perspective Greg G Jacobs Albizu University This paper is put forth as a cursory examination of the culture of the United States Military from the perspective of an individual intending to work as a therapist or mental health counselor with current or former members of the military and their families. Although it is very important to think of every individual as unique unto themselves, there are shared customs, traditions, traits, beliefs, needs, and, challenges, common to members of the military culture. It is believed that in exploring these common items one can be of greater assistance in our supporting role to military members, families and ultimately the military’s mission. This author hopes to cover several topics that relate directly to the culture of the U.S. Military and therapists intending to work with this population. These topics include emotions, themes of isolation and alienation, the stigma associated with getting help, multiculturalism and how it relates to these individuals, honor, demographics of the new all-volunteer service, reasons people join the military, authoritarian families, parental absences, allegiance to the military mission, military hierarchal structure, and the defining features of the Fortress (secrecy, stoicism, and denial). Concepts of Military Culture “The whole culture of the military is that you don’t talk about feelings or emotions” (Marshal, 2006, p...
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