“Out of Sight” but not “Out of Mind”: Parent Contact and Worry Among Senior Ranking Male Officers in the Military Who Live Long Distances from Parents

Service members who live far away from their aging parents may have high levels of worry about their parents health and well-being, especially if military duties make in-person contact rare. Characteristics of senior military officers, their parents, and their family interactions, officers worry about their parents, and frequency of parent contact were examined. Officers contacted their parents often and family dynamics, rather than worry about parent well-being, may be more predictive of contact.