This post was uploaded by Rachel Brauner of the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service-Wounded Warrior Program and published on the Military Families Learning Network blog.
Posts Tagged ‘Deployment’
Factual Friday
Friday, April 26th, 2013Suicide Prevention and Awareness Month
Tuesday, September 11th, 2012
Between 2005 and 2010, approximately one service member died every 36 hours, not by Afghanistan or Iraq insurgents, not from a result of a training exercise or automobile accident–but from suicide.
In 2009 alone, 160 active duty military personnel took their lives, making suicide the third leading cause of death among the Army population (Army HP/RR/SP Report, 2010).
With the increase in suicides the Army has designated the month of September as Suicide Prevention Month and joins the nation in observing National Suicide Prevention Week, Sept. 10-14, and World Suicide Prevention Day, Sept. 10.
As more troops return home from deployment, the risk of suicide may grow. It is important that families of these service members become aware of the issue and learn to identify potential risk factors and warning signs associated with suicide.
Understanding Suicide Prevention
Several factors may influence a service member to attempt or commit suicide. As a military caregiver be aware of risk factors associated with suicide.
- Work-related problems
- History of depression or other psychological issues
- Family history of suicide or suicide attempts
- Serious medical problems or physical illness
- Recent disciplinary or legal actions
- Significant loss (death of loved one or fellow service member within unit)
- Drug or alcohol abuse
- Violence in the home or social environment
- Unsuccessful relationships or relationship strain
- Excessive debt and other financial problems
Warning Signs of Potential Suicide
If you notice significant changes in your warrior’s demeanor since he or she has returned home from war, they may be exhibiting signs of potential suicide. The following warning signs may indicate that your service member is suicidal:
- Changes in eating, sleeping habits, or personal hygiene
- Talking or hinting about hurting himself or herself
- Expressing a strong desire to kill someone else
- Indicating he or she will be better off dead
- Obsession with death (for example, in music, poetry, artwork, letters)
- Changes in mood and behavior (for example, depression, irritability, rage, anger)
- Increased alcohol and/or drug use or abuse
- Isolation and withdrawal from social situation
- Giving away possessions
- Updating will or otherwise finalizing personal affairs
- Problem with spouse or partner
- Sudden or impulsive purchase of a firearm or other weapons
Additional Resources
If your service member is experiencing thoughts or symptoms of suicide–do not hesitate, call the Veterans Crisis Line at 1-800-273-TALK (8255) for immediate assistance. The Veterans Crisis Line and website is available for both veterans and active duty service members.
For more information on suicide within the military, visit the Army Suicide Prevention Program. The program offers a variety of information and resources relating to suicide in order to improve readiness for service members and their families.
As a caregiver, be aware of the Applied Suicide Intervention Training (ASIST). ASIST is a workshop for caregivers who want to feel confident and competent in helping to prevent the immediate risk of suicide.
Author: Rachel Brauner
This article is part of a series of Military Family Caregiving articles published on the Military Families Learning Network blog.
How Can Communities Support Military Families?
Tuesday, May 1st, 2012
Carole Gnatuk, Ed.D., Extension Child Development Specialist, University of Kentucky, says that there are seven distinct stages of emotional challenges faced by military families during and after deployment—and that failure to successfully negotiate each stage can create havoc for the family.
According to Gnatuk, the stages in this “emotional cycle of deployment” are:
- Stage 1: Anticipation of Departure
- Stage 2: Detachment and Withdrawal
- Stage 3: Emotional Disorganization
- Stage 4: Recovery and Stabilization
- Stage 5: Anticipation of Return
- Stage 6: Return Adjustment and Renegotiation
- Stage 7: Reintegration and Stabilization
Wanting to help military families cope with deployment, Gnatuk and her team at University of Kentucky Cooperative Extension developed a new program, Communities Support Military Families. While developed in Kentucky, Communities Support Military Families is national in scope–its materials contain no state-specific references and can be used by anyone.
Here’s how Gnatuk explains the program:
Woman Looking at Portrait of Soldier
Most of us know firsthand the power of good neighbors reaching out to each other with practical support. It’s just what friendly people do. Now, cutting edge research is showing that intentional, informal, friendly networks, undergirded by community agencies, can be highly effective in strengthening resilience and mental health in National Guard and Reserve members and their families. They live among all of us, often unrecognized but with unmet needs. Communities Support Military Families discusses the rationale, raises awareness, and provides suggestions for sensitive listening and for taking up the slack of families with absent or recently returned fathers, mothers, or spouses. This program has been effectively utilized by Extension community volunteers in Kentucky through family to family contacts doing lawn mowing, kid transportation, shopping errands, and car fixing; in public schools through family recognition evenings and bulletin boards; county fairs through family photos on t-shirts and pillow cases; and in cooperation with Operation: Military Kids, promoting summer family camps, to name just a few projects. (Personal communication with Carole Gnatuk, April 23, 2012)
Here are some suggestions from the Communities Support Military Families program for ways you can help support the military families in your community:
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Child Feeling Left Out
- Befriending a military family with a member who is or will soon be deployed—and then be prepared for the long haul! Keeping up friendship throughout the seven stages of the entire deployment cycle is critical.
- Walk a mile in their “boots”! Try to put yourself in the family’s situation. Don’t try to offer judgment or solutions to their problems. Be a good listener!
- Be sensitive about discussing your own views on war or the military. The family may want to talk over their issues or they may only want your caring.
- Send the children birthday and holiday cards as well as giving small gifts, if appropriate.
- Call them on a fairly regular basis, just to check in and see how they are doing, if they feel like going out for a walk, or want to come over for dinner.
- Suggest taking the whole family or perhaps just the children on an outing to a place of interest for fun.
- Gift the family with tickets to a performance that they might not otherwise be able to afford.
- Make a point of attending and cheering on the children at sports events, musical performances, appearances in school plays, or dance recitals.
- Suggest specific ways that you could support the family once the service member leaves. These suggestions will likely ease the anxiety of the soon-to-be deployed family member, as well as the parent staying home.
- Offer to assist with routine household and family tasks. You might offer to watch the children once a month, clean the house, bring meals in on certain days, mow the lawn, rake leaves, remove snow, or change the oil on the family’s vehicle.
- Send a care package or letter to the deployed military member. The children in the family might like to help in this activity.
- Offer to go on a school field trip in place of the parent, or to go along to be an extra set of hands for the children on an outing such as a trip to the zoo or a visit to a nearby park.
Adventure Camps for Military Teens
Do you know a teen from a deployed military family in your community who might be interested in—and benefit from—a high energy, high adventure, and high experience camp?
Now through March 2013, nearly 1,600 military teens (14-18 years old) will have an opportunity to participate in adventure camps at little to no cost, thanks to a partnership between the Dept. of Defense and NIFA/USDA. These high energy, high adventure, and high experience camps are being conducted by experience 4-H Youth Development and Cooperative Extension staff.
Each camp offers a unique outdoor experience that will allow a teen to build leadership, self-confidence, and teamwork skills while participating in activities like backpacking, river rafting, canoeing, wilderness survival, rocketry, rock climbing, GPS use, mountain biking, first aid, winter camping, dog sledding, ropes courses, camp cooking, archery, and other camp activities.
There are camps being scheduled and planned across the U.S. from Alaska to Maine and from Colorado to Georgia as well as states in between. Camps for youth with special needs (mental, physical, and emotional) are also planned in California, Ohio, and New Hampshire. For military youth already in the Pacific Rim, two camp dates are available in Hawaii.
You might be able to suggest one of these scheduled camps to a military family in your community and make a big difference in a young person’s ability to cope with their mom or dad’s deployment.
Teenagers Eating Marshmallows by Campfire
How is your community supporting military families? Share your story in the comments below.
The Timing of the One Purple Tweet
Friday, April 27th, 2012This is the story of one Tweet’s journey. Friday, April 13th, 2012, was a day people were encouraged to wear purple in support of Military Kids. Across the nation, communication services in the Cooperative Extension system went to work promoting the event. 
News releases were published and a social media effort was pushed out encouraging everyone to wear purple. We often ask ourselves what is the payback or “reach” of off these new outreach methods. This is where the story of one Purple Tweet started.
On April 5th, one person saw a Tweet about “Purple Up” day from the Military Families Learning Network Twitter channel. This one person sent one email to the superintendent of one school district in Texas. The superintendent of Gatesville Independent School District sent one email to each one of his campus’ administrators sharing the hope that staff and students would wear purple on Friday the 13th to support military kids on their campus’. This may have been the end of this one Tweets adventure, but it wasn’t.
On Friday, April 13th, in what was a separate journey, one soldier was finally returning home to his family after finishing his deployment. Unbeknownst to his children, he was headed home to Gatesville to surprise them. At 11:30 a.m. he walked into the building and the classroom of one of his children. He was happily reunited with his child and opened his eyes to find one classroom full of purple on this one special day. The local newspaper was there to capture the moment. A few hours later, after everyone had laughed – and cried a little – the superintendent of the one small town, of the one school building, of the one purple classroom, of the one happy family, sent one email back to the person who sent him to message about the Tweet, “timing is everything!” Sometimes, all it takes is one!
Caregivers Battling Suicide on the Homefront
Friday, March 30th, 2012
Between 2005 and 2010, approximately one service member died every 36 hours, not by Afghanistan or Iraq insurgents, not from a result of a training exercise or automobile accident–but from suicide.
In 2009 alone, 160 active duty military personnel took their lives, making suicide the third leading cause of death among the Army population (Army HP/RR/SP Report, 2010).
As more troops return home from deployment, the risk of suicide may grow. It is important that families of these service members become aware of the issue and learn to identify potential risk factors and warning signs associated with suicide. Remember, as a caregiver–the more you know, the more you are likely to provide proper care and provide the immediate attention your service member needs and ultimately prevent the loss or injury of your loved one.
Understanding Suicide Prevention
Risk Factors
Several factors may be taken into account for someone to attempt or commit suicide. As a military caregiver, you should become aware of these risk factors associated with suicide.
- Failed intimate relationship or relationship strain
- Family history of suicide or suicide attempts
- History of depression or other psychological issues
- Significant loss (death of loved one or fellow service member within unit)
- Drug or alcohol abuse
- Violence in the home or social environment
- Recent disciplinary or legal actions
- Serious medical problems or physical illness
- Work-related problems
- Excessive debt and other financial problems
Warning Signs of Potential Suicide
If you notice substantial changes in your loved one’s demeanor since he or she has returned home from combat, he or she may be exemplifying signs of potential suicide. The following warning signs may lead you to indicate that your service member is suicidal:
- Changes in eating, sleeping habits, or personal hygiene
- Talking or hinting about committing suicide
- Expressing a strong desire to kill someone else
- Obsession with death (for example, in music, poetry, artwork, letters)
- Changes in mood (for example, depression, irritability, rage, anger)
- Increased alcohol and/or drug use or abuse
- Isolation and withdrawal from social situations
- Giving away possessions
- Expressing feelings of sadness, hopelessness, anxiety
- Making a will or otherwise finalizing personal affairs
- Problem with spouse or partner
- Sudden or impulsive purchase of a firearm or obtaining other means of killing oneself such as poisons or medications
Caregiving Strategies
As a military caregiver, it can be hard to admit to yourself that your service member may be displaying signs of suicide. However, in today’s society where suicide has increased dramatically since the start of the global war on terrorism, many service members are at risk. In addition to identifying risk factors and warning signs, there are strategies that you, as the caregiver can do to help your loved one and yourself get thought this difficult time.
- Look for any signs that show a deviation from your service member’s usual self.
- Get help immediately! A suicidal person needs immediate attention.
- Do not keep your warrior’s suicidal behavior a secret.
- Do not ignore the situation and hope that things will eventually get better.
- Talk openly about suicide. Be willing to listen and allow your loved one to express his/her feelings.
- Actively listen for details about what, where and when your service member may be planning on killing himself or herself.
- Actively listen without passing judgment.
- Stay calm and safe–do not use force.
- Provide a comforting and relaxing atmosphere.
- Never leave the service member alone.
- Escort warrior to his/her chain of command immediately.
- Understand that your loved one may be in pain.
- Remove any means that could be used for self-injury (for example, weapons or pills).
- Provide your service member with contacts for suicide prevention (for example, a chaplain or behavioral health professional).
- Be in control of the service member’s medications.
- Be aware of how the service member’s behavior is affecting any children in the household.
- Consider individual and family therapy.
- Ask your service member’s doctors or nurse case manager on information regarding suicide and mental illness.
- Seek spiritual healing.
- Take care of yourself!
Caregiver Resources
If your loved one is experiencing thoughts or symptoms of suicide–do not hesitate, call the Veterans Crisis Line at 1-800-273-TALK (8255) for immediate assistance.
Also, contact your local Army installation’s Soldier and Family Assistance Center (SFAC) for support groups and caregiver support services.
For more information on suicide within the military, visit the Army Suicide Prevention Program. The program offers a variety of information and resources relating to suicide in order to improve readiness for service members and their families.
When a Deployed Parent Returns Home
Saturday, October 15th, 2011
He missed his Dad
In keeping with our theme on active duty deployment we wondered, ‘what happens to a child’s stress levels once their deployed parent is safely back home?’ What may come as a surprise to many is that in over 30% of children, high levels of anxiety and stress can remain. Read on to learn more.
In a recent NICHD-funded study, The Long War and Parental Combat Deployment: Effects on Military Children and At-Home Spouses, Dr. Patricia Lester and her team examined the effects of combat deployment on the behavior and emotional functioning of children aged 6 to 12.
What they found was that the combat deployment of a parent does adversely affect children. But what happens when the deployed parent returns home? This is where the study gets interesting; Dr Lester and team found that these adverse effects remain even after the deployed parent returns home.
So even though children are very happy to see their parent after many months away (as in this video of a little girl who correctly spells the word “sergeant” in a spelling bee then turns around to see her father appear from behind the curtain), it does not mean the difficulties associated with deployment are over.
In fact, most studies prior to this have assumed the most challenging time for the child is during the active deployment period when the parent is actually absent. However, Dr. Lester argues that it isn’t that simple. The reaction a child displays is more complex in that their anxiety levels may remain high until well after the deployed parent is safely back at home.
For instance, Dr. Lester found that one-third of the children in her study reported anxiety levels that were “clinically significant” (severe enough to warrant health care attention) even if their active duty parent was not currently deployed.
As professionals working with military families we need to be aware that the stress doesn’t end with the return of the deployed parent. In fact, stress and anxiety in children can linger thereby affecting their behavior, well-being and development over time.
Given the right knowledge and tools, military parents, healthcare professionals, education, recreation, and faith-based services and military family support service members can all serve to buffer the challenges and stress their children face fostering the development of more resilient children and their families.
One such challenge develops when children feel a disconnect between their deployed parent and themselves. Deployment Kids (http://www.deploymentkids.com/) offers some fun easy online tools to help children feel more connected to their active duty parent while they are away.
For more resources on supporting military families through the deployment phase see the following links:
What resources do you use when working with military families and those with active duty deployed parents?
The Children Struggle Too!
Saturday, October 8th, 2011
As every military family knows, deployment is a necessary part of the job. The enlisted service member has a responsibility to the branch of service to which they belong and their responsibilities are taken very seriously. But the family they leave behind is equally important.
As a military families support professional, you recognize deployment as one of the most difficult times for families. And while there’s lots of information on how deployment affects the servicemembers and their spouses, what about the impact on their children left at home with one “solo parent” and one who is deployed?
The Center for Military Health Policy Research did a recent study in an attempt to explore how deployment affects the academic, social, and emotional well-being of military children. The study looked at 1,500 children aged 11-17. All the children in the study had at least one parent in the military in that 57% had an Army parent, 20% had an Air Force parent, 17% had a Navy parent and the remainder of the parents were in the Coast Guard or Marine Corps.
The results showed that children with a deployed parent reported:
- Increased levels of anxiety
- Emotional and behavioral difficulties
- Increased problem behaviors, (i.e., fighting)
- Greater difficulties in social and emotional functioning
- Greater school or peer-related difficulties
So what can we do to support these children through one of the most difficult times of their lives? As support professionals we can help the adults in the child’s life to:
- Become aware of and validate difficult feelings (guilt, resentment, anxiety, confusion, anger, or fear)
- Become more sensitive to their family structure and living arrangements (some children stay with grandparents- not parents)
- Acknowledge that children may sense of a loss of time with the deployed parent
- Help children maintain a close distance relationship with the deployed parent (allow the child to make things for care packages, record voice notes, create cards and other small gifts online, play online games with the deployed parent, leave the deployed parent Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) messages, etc.)
- Encourage children to journal or write down feelings they are experiencing
- Above all, listen to children. Sometimes children just need to talk without being pressured or judged by others.
We all play a pivotal role in helping support our military children through the process of deployment. While a soldier’s job may be to fight for and protect our freedom it should never be at the cost of the well-being of his or her child.
Have some ideas of your own on how to support children with a deployed parent? Please share them in the comments section below. We would love to hear what works for the families you serve. 
