Many Americans are joining in the important and much-deserved recognition and celebration of our troops upon homecoming from war. Most people know someone who has been deployed in support of the Global War on Terrorism...a relative, friend, neighbor, or co-worker. We are bombarded by images and stories of the war in the media, and the internet and advances in communication allow for almost instant connection with people and events half way around the world. The Global War on Terrorism is the most closely studied cohort of deployed troops ever, and data are quickly accumulating that attest to the emotional challenges faced by approximately one-fifth to one-third of the troops. Many dedicated, compassionate personnel in the Department of Defense, Veterans Affairs system, Vet Centers, state/community agencies and communities are embracing the challenge of reaching out to these service members, attempting to prevent the development of long-term difficulties. A variety of excellent resources are available, such as research-based information through the National Center for PTSD (www.ncptsd.org), pro bono mental health services donated by clinicians across the country (Give an Hour: www.giveanhour.org), peer support for veterans by other veterans (e.g., Vets4Vets: www.vets4vets.us), and many other local and national programs. These efforts are vital.
The ripple effects of deployment and trauma on the family have not received equivalent attention, but it's important that we as professionals consider their experiences as well. Some preliminary research is discovering that many spouses/significant others are struggling as well, often manifested by difficulties with sleep and increased anxiety. A variety of agencies (including but not limited to the VA system and Department of Defense) are providing a range of outreach programs, family days/retreats, and family-based services such as the Strong Bonds Program (www.strongbonds.org) and the PREP Program.
Some programs are targeted to supporting returning troops who have emotional problems. For example, in my job at the Oklahoma City VA Medical Center, I created an 18-session curriculum to support people who care about someone living with a mental illness or PTSD namely the Support And Family Education (SAFE) Program. The entire curriculum is available for free download at: w3.ouhsc.edu/safeprogram, and many VA hospitals/clinics are using the program to support families dealing with PTSD. More recently, a colleague, Ursula Bowling, Psy.D., and I modified the SAFE Program to fit the specific needs of returning troops and their families; the revised 5-session curriculum, Operation Enduring Families, is also available for free download at: w3.ouhsc.edu/oef.
An area of special interest and concern is the impact of parental deployment/trauma on the children. Young people in National Guard and Reserve families may face special challenges due to living in non-military communities without the social support and special services provided by military installations. For example, a teenager at a National Guard reintegration seminar said:
They didn't have anything there for teenagers...They kind of stopped at about 12 and then they jumped in again for the wives. They kind of cut out the teenagers, which is really hard, because you are going through a bunch of stuff, and you are trying to figure out who you are and where you fit in, and just high school itself is hard. (St Paul Pioneer Press, July 23, 2007)
Three resources are noteworthy for these teens. First, the National Military Family Association provides free week-long summer camps (Operation Purple Camps, www.operationpurple.com) for military youth. The goal of these camps is to provide a forum in which to connect with other military kids, to get support in dealing with the tough times, and to have fun. In 2007, approximately 4,000 children attended camps at 34 locations in 26 states across the country. Additional support is provided to children whose parent endured a significant injury during deployment.
Second, the American Academy of Pediatrics created two DVDs for youth/teenagers whose parent has been deployed in support of the war. The videos normalize a wide range of reactions to parental deployment and include: "Military Youth Coping with Separation: When Family Members Deploy" and "Mr. Poe and Friends Discuss Reunion After Deployment" [Both are available for free download at: http://www.aap.org/sections/uniformedservices/deployment/videos.html]
Third, along with my mother (a teacher), I've written an interactive book for teens whose parent has experienced trauma, namely Finding My Way: A Teen's Guide to Living with a Parent Who Has Experienced Trauma [Only available at: www.seedsofhopebooks.com]. This award-winning three-part interactive book for teens helps them understand how and why their parent may be so different after getting home from the war. Although it's not specific to combat, many military families are finding it invaluable in dealing with post-deployment challenges.
Although the family problems and challenges associated with deployment and trauma are sometimes easy to identify, it is important to look for and celebrate the possibility of growth and positive change as well. The field of "positive psychology" has grown over the past decade, considering the "posttraumatic growth (PTG)" that may ensue for some trauma survivors (e.g., improved relationships, renewed hope for life, an improved appreciation of life, an enhanced sense of personal strength, and spiritual development). Thus, as mental health providers, it's important to address the families' challenges, but also to simultaneously urge them to identify opportunities to discover strength and resilience in themselves and in each other that never would have surfaced otherwise. Although facing parental deployment and trauma can be challenging, it can also provide families opportunities for greater connection and growth.
