Supporting Military Children and Their Family Report

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Supporting Military Children and Their Family
Report

• Anna Letsche
• Regional Quality Rating System Specialist
• Child Care Resource and Referral of NW Iowa

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Military Culture

• Relocation
• Permanent Change of Station
• Relocation due to Deployment
• Change schools
• Change support network
• Extracurricular activities
• Graduation Requirements

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Military Culture

• Structural Authority
• Rules are obeyed without question
• Frequent use of punishment
• High levels of control
• High Standards for behavior

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Military Culture

• Threat of Danger
• 150,000 Soldiers in Iraq
• 50 in Combat Zones
• No Safe Retreat
• Ambiguous Enemy

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Military Culture

• Geographically Dispersed
• Reserve Component
• BRAC
• Guard Component

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Reassignment
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State of the Military
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State of the Military

• War in Iraq has lasted longer than Americas
  involvement with WWII
• Over one million US military personnel have
  served in Afghanistan and Iraq
• One third have served two or more extended tours
  in combat zones according to the DoD

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State of the Military

• Army and Marine Corps have carried much of the
  load
• 500,000 members in the active Army, more than
  half (279,303) have been sent overseas in the
  past three years
• 34.6 have done multiple tours

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State of the Military

• Marine Corps-98,979 of about 120,000 Marines have
  served in Iraq or Afghanistan
• 28 have done multiple tours

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State of the Military

• Army National Guard-36 have served in Iraq of
  Afghanistan
• Army Reserve-35
• Navy
• Active 2
• Reserves 8

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Combat Deployment Children

• Active Duty Force 1.4 Million
• Active duty families 1.8 Million
• 1.2 million are children and adolescence (up to
  age 23)
• Reserve and National Guard force 900,000
• Dependent children 700,000
• At any one time over half a million children have
  one or more parents deployed in support of the
  Global War on Terrorism

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Combat Deployment Children

• Isolation
• Frequent separations
• Repeated/extended separations
• Increased rates of child maltreatment
• Increased hazards of combat (injury, death)

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Phases of Deployment

• Pre-deploymentSeveral weeks to one year
• DeploymentDeparture of soldier through first
  month
• SustainmentFirst through next-to-last month of
  deployment
• Pre-reunionMonth before soldier is scheduled to
  return home
• Post deployment/ReunionThree to six months from
  time soldier returns

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What does the Soldier Experience?

• Heightened Situational Awareness
• Varies by person-loud sounds, extra energy, aware
  of people, etc.
• Want to experience things at home
• Toss a football with son, drink with wife
• Soldiers can overdo these things
• Physical Changes
• No one gets younger. did soldier or family
  imagine the other person to be different

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What does the Soldier Experience?

• Reaction from civilians-pro or anti war?
• Grappling with feelings about the war
• Combat Stress, Acute Stress, PTSD?
• Missing thrill of combat?
• No one can understand experience
• Good AND bad

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Advise for those working with military kids

• Understand the changing family dynamics
• How do you speak about the military?
• Offer your help (sometimes parent or child wont
  ask)
• Look for changes in the child-advise parents
  (respectfully)

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Childhood Stress Reactions

• Stress is defined as pressure on the status quo
  of a system
• Look for changes in behavior as signs of stress
• Reactions are related to the environment

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Infants and Toddlers

• Sixth Sense Intuitiveness
• Increased crying
• Changes in Sleeping and/or Eating
• Separation Anxiety
• Temper Tantrums
• Irritability
• Offer comfort and structure

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Recommendations

• Maintain a schedule
• Do not introduce transitions (weaning, toilet
  training, new child care)
• Provide physical affection
• Floor time
• Use simple language to reassure them
• Provide soothing activities (stories, music)

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Preschoolers

• Clingy Behavior
• Fear of New Places/People
• Socially Withdrawn
• Regression
• Feelings of Guilt/Confusion
• Protect from Media Exposure
• Suggest Different Endings to Play

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Recommendations

• Outside play time
• Tactile play-using their hands (play dough,
  finger painting, sand tray)
• Soothing play-books, bubbles
• Keep routines the same
• No more transitions
• Allow them to show fears
• Help them identify feelings

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School Age

• Over-responsible/Irresponsible
• Difficulty managing school-work
• Toileting Accidents
• Desires Recognition
• Triggered by Reminders
• Feelings of Guilt
• Trouble with Friends

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Recommendations

• Validate/normalize feelings
• Maintain day-to-day schedule
• Questions without question marks
• Follow their lead
• Minimize ongoing exposure to the experience
• Allow them to express feelings and thoughts

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Adolescents

• Denial of feelings- I dont care
• Increased independence
• Higher value on friends
• Conflicting emotions
• Resentment due to missed events

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Recommendations

• Model appropriate anger management skills
• Encourage positive activity
• Be available and listen
• Separate people from events
• Provide a safe, predictable environment

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Tips for working with Military Youth

• Keep military opinions to yourself
• Remember kids take things adults say to heart
• Have open communication with parents
• Do not watch military operations in classrooms
• Be sensitive when discussing other wars
• Do not point out military kids in class and ask
  their views

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Tips for working with Military Youth

• Have youth start a journal to share memories with
  deployed soldier
• Invite soldiers into class with parents
  permission
• Teach about World History
• Adopt a Unit
• Send care packages to them
• Christmas in a box

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Resources

• Sesame Street
• DVD on Deployments, Homecomings, and Changes
• http//www.sesameworkshop.org/tlc/

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OMK Resources

• Reading Collection
• Age appropriate books that address
• deployment issues, coping skills
• Activities to accompany books
• Opportunity for Military kids
• to express themselves through
• writing or art
• Utilize AEA distribution system
• Family Assistance Centers

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Resources

• Operation Military Kids
• www.operationmilitarykids.org
• Iowa State University Extension
• www.extension.iastate.edu
• MilitaryOneSource
• www.MilitaryOneSource.com
• 800-342-9647
• Support Siouxland Soldiers
• http//www.supportsiouxlandsoldiers.com/