| Family Focus: Guard Families Find Way Through Deployments |
| [7/18/2010] |
Source: DoD Live Blog |
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By Paula Sumrall, National Guard Bureau Office of Family Programs
One of the greatest challenges that our National Guard Families face is how to remain resilient and upbeat during the multiple deployments that have occurred since the beginning of Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom.
Those who are physically located near active component military installations have resources readily available. Medical facilities, commissaries, and other support agencies are accessible to our Guard Families, but many opt to maintain their primarily civilian lifestyle by not accessing these venues.
Many of our National Guard families do not consider themselves to be “military Families” according to a survey conducted several years ago. A prevalent attitude is that family activities should remain as close to normal as possible during the spouse’s deployment. Children should maintain the same school, after-school activity schedule. Church and sports activities should remain the same. Household chore responsibilities should remain the same. Because these schedules are already in place and the Family members are comfortable with them, why change?
Maintaining the status quo during the loved one’s deployment also makes the reintegration part of the deployment easier and more palatable. If time permits, spouses sometimes use the deployment time to go back to school and work on their college or post-graduate degree, take a craft or art class, or perhaps start a diet and an exercise regime. Sometimes a Soldier/airman returns to find rooms repainted and the landscaping greatly improved! The focus on a new endeavor is reassuring to some and helps the time pass more quickly while their loved one is deployed.
Participation in a Family Readiness Group (Army Guard) or a Key Volunteer Group (Air Guard) allows non-military Family members to make contact with and form relationships with other Family members of guardsmen. Meetings that focus on the needs of the Family are scheduled regularly in addition to other events such as picnics, shopping sprees, theater/movie outings, or play-dates for those with young children.
Because our Guard population includes many geographically dispersed Families, staying in touch via newsletter or internet is important part of our family groups. Even if the Family member can only participate by sharing a recipe or movie review from long-distance via a newsletter, the input is of value to everyone involved whether on the giving or the receiving end.
Although a lot of focus is on spouses and children before, during, and after a deployment, the Guard takes great care and pride in the fact that they also do a tremendous outreach to parents of our Air and Army Guardsmen. Many join our volunteer ranks and serve in a variety of jobs in order to meet the needs of those who are left behind.
Of particular note is that the parents include those of our very young Guardsmen/women as well as those of our more seasoned (and much older) Guard members. Many of our Guard parent volunteers are in their sixties and seventies!
Our Guard retirees also comprise a large segment of our volunteer force. Their background and training as Guardsmen as well as their expertise in working with either the Air or Army Guard issues makes their contributions invaluable to our program.
Because our retirees and the parents of our military members are more established in their local communities, they are resourceful when it comes to problem solving and generally have more time to assist others since they are not involved with raising a young family.
Many parents who are not physically located near their son’s or daughter’s unit manage to stay in touch with their respective units/wings via email campaigns, the internet, phone tree, or newsletters. The only necessary requirement is that the individual in charge of sharing information have correct contact information.
One mom living in Alabama kept in touch with her two sons’ units while they were deployed with the Alaska National Guard thanks to their FRG. Many others have reported the same opportunity provided to them when they were not located near the unit/wing in order to be a physical participant or volunteer.
Those spouses, parents or other loved ones of our National Guardsmen who choose not to participate in their local FRG or Key Volunteer Group are missing a wonderful opportunity to understand their loved one’s military mission, to learn about issues and challenges that face both military members and families, to make new friends, and to be able to represent the Guard in their local community.
For those of us who have been active participants in our local FRG or Key Volunteer Group, our lives have been enriched by the friendships, and we know the satisfaction of helping other family members and loved ones who share common goals for the well-being of our country.
Find more great blog posts at DoD Live.
Read more about National Guard Family Programs.
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