There are many stresses faced within the military family life. With deployments, relocations, advancements, and all the other normal stresses a family faces, living within the confines of the military can cause conflicts within the family. This article will discuss many of the normal processes a family goes through when facing some of the more stressful processes in the military, as well as addressing some of the resources available to theses families.

Deployments

One of the more stressful times a military family faces is the military deployment. When a loved one is going to be leaving the family for an extended period of time, there are many arrangements to be made. With one less spouse to help around the house, to assist in emergencies, or just to provide basic moral support, life, at times, can be quite hectic. There can be many financial problems that can arise that a spouse may be ill-equipped to deal with. A conflict in regards to a bill often cannot be handled if it is in the deployed spouses’ name. Many such conflicts such as this can arise while a spouse is deployed, and arrangements need to be made ahead of time for these instances.

It can be very hard to say goodbye. The weeks preceding a deployment can strain a relationship. There is often a honeymoon type period, wherein a couple tries to make up for lost time ahead of time. There is also a period of bickering immediately preceding the deployment. This is often caused by anger experienced by the spouse that is being left behind. It is often a subconscious ploy to deal with letting go. The deploying spouse may also be anxious, and feeling a bit of trepidation towards the upcoming deployment. They wonder if their family will be ok without them there to help, and they may fear that their family will be ok, making them feel less valuable.

As hard as it is to say goodbye, saying hello can be just as stressful. While it is exciting to think of a spouse that has been gone for a long period of time coming home, it can also be an anxious time. Many couples experience a long period of adjustment which can be very difficult. The deployed spouse has to adjust to the daily routine and schedule of the household again. The stay-at-home spouse has been doing it all themselves the entire time, and has to adjust to having someone around to help out. It can sometimes be difficult for a spouse to let go of some of the control they have had for so long, and allow the deployed spouse to take over some of the control again.