Military Family Skills
The military family deals with unique challenges that require special skills. This section provides tips, articles, and handouts on how to optimize family relationships. The information is grouped by distinct phases: pre-deployment, deployment, mid-deployment, and post-return.
The military family is a dynamic unit in society; it combats unique stressors and contributes to Warfighter resilience. As the National Military Family Association (NMFA) stated in 2006:
"Family readiness is imperative for service member readiness; therefore the emotional well-being and mental health of service members are linked to those of their families. Family well-being affects a service member's entire career from recruitment to retention to retirement." [1]
See below for links that provide tips, articles, and handouts on family relationship optimization.
Pre-deployment
Guide for army spouses and family members
Preparing for the
deployment of a parent
Advice on deployment and
children
How to cope with sudden
deployments
Getting ready for deployment and helping children cope
Deployment
Emotions of Deployment
The emotional phases of
deployment
Guide for helping
children and youth cope with separation
—Also includes a section on the cycle of deployment and separation.
Dealing with comings and goings
Parenting
Parenting as a
team/couple
Parenting while deployed
Parenting when divorced
Becoming a new father
while you're deployed
Becoming a new mother as
a service member
Becoming a new father as
a service member
Functioning
as a Couple
Balancing work and life
as a dual military couple
Caring For Yourself
Caring for yourself and supporting your service member
Caring for yourself (DCoE)
Sesame Street Talk, Listen, Connect: Deployments, Homecomings, Changes
—A variety of real-life families honestly discuss their everyday challenges.
Community Engagement During Deployment
The Military Family Research Institute at Purdue University has identified helpful guides for deployment that can be used by educators, community members, and parents:
“Educator’s Guide to the Military Child during Deployment”
“How Communities can support the children and families of those serving in the National Guard or Reserves”
“Helping Children Cope with the Challenges of War and Terrorism”
“Supplement to Helping Children Cope with the Challenges of War and Terrorism”
“Helping Children Cope When a Loved One is on Military Deployment”
“Sesame Street Facilitator Guide” for family readiness groups and other programs provide support to military families for deployments, homecomings, and changes.
Mid-deployment
Helping children cope
during deployment
Help for the parent left
behind
Communication during
deployment
The health of the family
left behind
Sesame Street “Children’s Activity Poster”
Post-return
Family Guides
A guide for service members returning from mobilization/deployment
Return and reunion guide for Marines and their families - that discusses the following areas of reintegration:
Single Marines
Married Marines
Children
Single Parents
Reservists
Homecoming Tips
Adjusting to the return of an injured parent
Couple Relationships
Becoming a couple again: How to create a shared sense of purpose after deployment
What to know or do before a spouse returns from deployment
Military Children
Helping bereaved military children
Homecomings: Encouraging children to express themselves
Emotions Post-return
Traumatic brain injury information
Taking care of yourself while supporting your service member after deployment
Supporting your family member who is dealing with psychological health issues
Understanding and helping with post deployment stress symptoms
Aspects of War that Impact Families
Principles of Caring for Combat Injured Families and Their Children
Courage to Care For Me: Tips for Caring for Your Newborn and Yourself
The Impact of Kidnapping, Shooting and Torture on Children
Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI): What Military Families Need to Know
Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI): Helping Service Members and Families in Need
Supporting young children affected by a military parent's injury
Supporting young children affected by a parent's death
Supporting young children affected by a military parent's deployment, injury, or death (Professional's Guide)
Military
Family Support Organizations
Marine Corps Community Services
DoD Mental Health Screening Program - Deployment Health Clinical Center
The Military Family Research Institute at Purdue University Uniformed Services University Courage to Care Campaign Fact Sheets
University of Delaware Family Communication Tips
The Defense Centers of Excellence has identified the following Military Family Resources:
U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs
Defense and Veterans Brain Injury Center
Deployment Health Clinical Center
Veterans Affairs' National Center for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder
Center for the Study of Traumatic Stress
Force Health Protection and Readiness
Military Family Research Institute
National Military Family Association
Sesame Workshop Talk, Listen, Connect
Sesame Street Family Connections
American Academy of Pediatrics "Supporting Military Children and Youth"
DoD Military Community and Family Policy
Navy Fleet and Family Support Centers
Marine Corps Community Services
Deployment Health and Family Readiness Library
Military & Family Life Consultant (MFLC) Program
DoD Yellow Ribbon Reintegration Program
Warfighter Brain Health Portal
National Child Traumatic Stress Network (NCTSN), Child Traumatic Grief
NCIRE-The Veterans Health Research Institute
