During Deployment: Seek Support, Stay Connected

1. During Deployment: Seek Support, Stay Connected Personal Checklist: During Deployment 1. Seek support from family, the military, other organizations. 2. Stay in touch with your spouse to keep spirits high for everyone. 3. Stick to household routines to maintain order. 4. Communicate with the kids and monitor behavior

2. Getting ready for a deployment is one thing. Dealing with one is another. • There's not necessarily one big challenge about having a deployed spouse. It's all the little things that add up • Taking care of yourself and your family, while keeping the lines of communication open, can help bring balance to life's ups and downs.

3. Just say yes • Friends and family, support groups and the military itself always are ready to extend a helping hand. Part of the challenge is overcoming the reluctance to reach out. • Most of us have people around who want to help, but for some reason we feel we have to do everything ourselves • We can miss out on not just valuable resources, but the essence of military service: Community

4. Find power in numbers • Organized military support groups: USO, Armed Forces YMCA, Operation Home Front • Work Life Support Groups • CG SURPT • Spiritual Groups

5. Keep in Contact with Ombudsman • Learn more about your spouse's military unit. • Goal: Bring the unit's family members together to provide support and assistance and help them to cope better with the stress of deployments. • Provide updates on the unit's activities overseas and information about benefits, emergency contacts and more.

6. Keep in touch • Keeping in contact with a deployed spouse isn't easy, especially with limitations of time zones and poor phone connections. Double-check contact information and have an emergency contact plan in place. • You can call your Ombudsman, which can put you in touch with the American Red Cross or Rear Detachment Commander to have emergency messages delivered.

7. Keeping in Touch • Avoid confusion with letters and e-mails that may not arrive in order by numbering them - 1, 2, 3, etc • Send pictures • Update on all extended family news • Update the financial picture • Update children’s school/activity progress

8. Bridge the separation • Keeping kids involved can help them feel less separated. Try hanging a map of the world with the deployment location marked, and encourage children to send their own letters or drawings to Mom or Dad. • Talk about your spouse in everyday conversation and avoid using the past tense.

9. Stick to routines • Continuing to enforce the rules of the house also is important to maintain a sense of order, particularly with children. Letting bedtimes slip or allowing excessive junk food may score points now but can wreak havoc in the long run. • Holding children responsible for household chores not only makes life easier for you, but it also gives them a sense of accomplishment in doing their part.

10. Conclusion • You are not alone! • Reach out for assistance • Stay informed • Keep in Contact • Prepare now for homecoming: • Keep the routines • Children will have changed in view of spouse • Things have changed: Discuss them • Be ready to transition back to ‘normacy”