Publication year
2017
Citation Title
Bereaved military dependent spouses and children: Those left behind in a decade of war (2001-2011).
Journal Name
Military Medicine
Journal Volume
182
Issue Number
3
Page Numbers
e1684-e1690
DOI
10.7205/MILMED-D-16-00109
Summary
Family members of U.S. Service members who have died on duty are at risk for debilitating grief; however, little is known about the demographics and composition of these families. This study examined characteristics of surviving military dependents of Service members who died in the first decade following September 11, 2001. Results suggest that certain demographic characteristics of many bereaved spouses and children may put these families at greater risk for debilitating grief.
Key Findings
Of the approximately 16,000 Service member deaths during this period, 55% had spouses and 56% had children.
About one third of the Service members included in the sample died in combat during this period.
The mean age of spouses in this sample at the time of their Service member's death was 32.8 years, while for children it was 10.3 years.
Many of the spouses and families with children lived further than 60 miles from an installation (58-60%), and families with children were more likely to live farther from installations than spouse-only families.
Implications for Program Leaders
Offer classes addressing the grieving process for bereaved spouses and children that can be accessed remotely in order to reach families who live further away from installations
Disseminate information to providers regarding possible characteristics of bereaved families in order to effectively offer assistance following the death of a Service member
Provide concrete information on normative versus problematic children’s responses to the death of a parent and strategies to address children's distress
Implications for Policy Makers
Continue to support programs that address grief in military families who have lost a Service member
Recommend training for community and military providers to recognize grief-associated risk in bereaved families
Encourage collaboration among DoD programs, the Veterans Affairs system, and community-based organizations to continue to support families who have lost a Service member
Methods
Data on Service members who died between September 11, 2001 and September 11, 2011 and their families were obtained from a series of DoD databases.
Demographic data were assessed to gain a better idea of the characteristics of all deceased Service members and their families.
Families with spouses only were compared to families with spouses and children to assess for any differences by family composition.
Participants
A total of 15,938 deceased Service members were included in analyses. The mean age at time of death was 28.5 years, and the majority were men (94.6%) and either White (77%) or Black (15%).
There were 10,304 spouses included in the sample, and 12,641 children.
When the Service member died, 30% of the children were under 5 years, 25% were between 6 and 10 years, 20% were between 11 and 15 years, 9% were between 16 and 18 years, and 16% were 18 years or older.
Limitations
Limited information about family members (beyond gender and approximate location) restricted the conclusions that could be drawn about this population.
Significant others who were not married to their Service member as well as children who lived at other locations than with the Service member were not included in the sample, so findings may not generalize to all families who have lost a Service member.
This sample didn't include other family members affected by the loss of a Service member, including parents, siblings, and other relatives.
Avenues for Future Research
Collect more diversified information about the functioning of families who have experienced the death of a Service member
Ensure that nontraditional families are included in samples of grieving military families
Make an effort to include other family members (parents, siblings, etc.) in order to obtain a more complete picture of how the death of a Service member affects all members of the Service member's family
Focus
Multiple Branches
Target Population
Population Focus
Military Component
Abstract
Background: U.S. military service members die from a variety of causes (i.e., accidents, combat,
illnesses, homicide, suicide, and terrorism) while on duty and in greater numbers during times of war, leaving behind
bereaved dependent family members. Identifying characteristics of these dependent families improves our understanding
of their unique needs, helps educate service providers who offer assistance to these surviving family members,
and better informs policy addressing their health and well-being. This study describes deceased U.S. military
service members (DSMs) who died on active duty between September 11, 2001 and September 11, 2011 and their surviving
dependent spouses and children. Methods: Characteristics of DSMs (service branch, rank, and cause of death)
and characteristics of spouse-with-children and spouse-only families (ages of dependents, time since loss, and distance
from a military installation) were examined. Results: 15,938 DSMs died from a variety of causes (e.g., accidents, combat,
and illnesses). 55% of DSMs had dependent spouses and 56% of those spouses had children. Most surviving
dependent spouses and children were young (mean ages = 32.8, 10.3 years; SD = 9.3, 7.3 years, respectively) at the
time of DSM death. Many of these young dependents were related to a DSM who experienced a sudden and violent
death. 60% of spouse-with-children families and 58% of spouse-only families lived farther than 60 miles from a military
installation. Time since loss (range = 1.3–11.3 years) did not predict distance to installation. Conclusions: Findings
characterize surviving spouses and their children, suggest potential risk for problematic grief outcomes, and
underscore the importance of educating service providers about how to supportmilitary survivor family health and resilience.
illnesses, homicide, suicide, and terrorism) while on duty and in greater numbers during times of war, leaving behind
bereaved dependent family members. Identifying characteristics of these dependent families improves our understanding
of their unique needs, helps educate service providers who offer assistance to these surviving family members,
and better informs policy addressing their health and well-being. This study describes deceased U.S. military
service members (DSMs) who died on active duty between September 11, 2001 and September 11, 2011 and their surviving
dependent spouses and children. Methods: Characteristics of DSMs (service branch, rank, and cause of death)
and characteristics of spouse-with-children and spouse-only families (ages of dependents, time since loss, and distance
from a military installation) were examined. Results: 15,938 DSMs died from a variety of causes (e.g., accidents, combat,
and illnesses). 55% of DSMs had dependent spouses and 56% of those spouses had children. Most surviving
dependent spouses and children were young (mean ages = 32.8, 10.3 years; SD = 9.3, 7.3 years, respectively) at the
time of DSM death. Many of these young dependents were related to a DSM who experienced a sudden and violent
death. 60% of spouse-with-children families and 58% of spouse-only families lived farther than 60 miles from a military
installation. Time since loss (range = 1.3–11.3 years) did not predict distance to installation. Conclusions: Findings
characterize surviving spouses and their children, suggest potential risk for problematic grief outcomes, and
underscore the importance of educating service providers about how to supportmilitary survivor family health and resilience.
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