When a service member is deployed to a conflict, his or her entire family goes along for the ride. Parents, spouses and children are all affected from the moment a deployment is announced, during separation and through the military member’s return home.
The stress, anxiety and economic challenges of deployments take a toll on family resiliency and cohesion. Divorce rates among the military rose to 3.7 percent in 2011, up from 2.6 percent at the start of operations in Afghanistan in 2001.
This stress is especially pronounced among children of military families. According to the Comfort Crew for Military Kids [6], an Austin-based organization, there are more than two million military-connected children and youth. Of these, approximately 1.2 million are school-aged children and about 900,000 of them have had a parent deployed at least once in the first decade of the War on Terror. The vast majority live and attend school in civilian communities.
According to the Military Child Education Coalition [7], these children live with perpetual challenges presented by frequent moves, parental and sibling deployments, and a host of life transitions that include reintegration and dealing with profoundly changed parents. Military children move between six and nine times while in school. Each move leaves behind their old friends and routines and places a new set of expectations and the need to reestablish social ties and routines.
The Military Child Education Coalition is developing education networks to improve continuity and provide support to help military children feel resilient and normal within their lives.
The Comfort Crew for Military Kids fosters resiliency in military children through a series of programs to address the issues specific to military life. The Comfort Crew works directly with children and families, recognizing their unique challenges, providing educational resources, and supporting physical and emotional resiliency. Comfort Kids provides resources for caregivers and educators to guide children through the obstacles of reintegration.
Sixteen-year old Matthew Constantine’s father has been deployed four times since 2001 when Matthew was seven. As the president of the Texas Military Forces Youth Council and Trevor Romain Foundation Ambassador, Matthew is raising awareness about the challenges and opportunities for children of military. Read this Q & A with the Comfort Crew for Military Kids [8].
- Watch this video from Military Child: