Publication year
2016
Citation Title
Hard is normal: Military families’ transitions within the process of deployment
Journal Name
Research in Nursing and Health
Journal Volume
39
Issue Number
1
Page Numbers
42-56
DOI
10.1002/nur.21701
Summary
Deployment is often a stressful time for military families, and U.S. Service members have been deployed more often and for longer periods of time since 2003 and the start of OIF. This study synthesizes 21 qualitative articles related to the process of deployment among military families. The authors detail important tasks and specific challenges related to each stage of deployment, including pre-deployment, deployment, household adjustment for the family, and post-deployment.
Key Findings
During pre-deployment, Service members and their families were faced with uncertainty about time and location of deployment and had to prepare practically and emotionally for separation.
During deployment, Service members balanced focusing on their assignment and continuing family communication, as well as adjusting to receiving social support primarily from comrades.
Household adjustment for the family during deployment included fulfilling new roles while staying connected to the Service member and receiving support from other military families.
During post-deployment, families managed reintegration expectations, the need for all family members to feel understood and appreciated, and another shift in roles and responsibilities.
Implications for Program Leaders
Educate military families on useful communication techniques for each stage of deployment
Provide programs or events that acknowledge the contributions of military spouses and children
Offer workshops where military spouses and children can learn skills for new household responsibilities during deployment
Implications for Policy Makers
Promote the development of programs to aid military families in early completion of pre-deployment tasks, such as documenting wills and powers of attorney
Continue to promote peer support groups for Service members’ families during deployment
Recommend education of professionals on common expectations and challenges of post-deployment family reintegration
Methods
A total of 21 peer-reviewed articles, based on 19 data sets, regarding the deployment process among military families during OIF/OEF/OND were included in the review.
Included articles were published from 2004 to 2013 with a military family sample, defined as a married couple with at least one Active Duty Service member, with or without children.
Each statement in all results sections of the 21 articles was coded into 104 categories, which resulted in 19 different meaning themes and 14 tasks important for families during deployment.
These themes and tasks were discussed in relation to each stage of deployment.
Participants
The samples were aggregated across the 19 data sets and resulted in 874 participants, with 316 Active Duty Service members (80% male), 328 military spouses (99% female), and 146 children.
Of the 690 participants reporting race, most identified as White (71%) or Black (12%).
Of the 466 participants reporting branch affiliations, Service members or spouses represented the Army (79%), Air Force (11%), Navy (6%), and Marines (4%).
Limitations
No conclusions could be drawn regarding differences in the deployment process between military branches since differences were not reported in several of the articles reviewed.
Search terms related specifically to OEF were not included in the literature search, possibly resulting in missing relevant articles.
Reviewed articles were primarily focused on post-deployment, and the conclusions drawn about pre-deployment and deployment are based on a limited number of studies.
Avenues for Future Research
Examine potential differences in the deployment process between the military branches
Investigate the deployment process among other family structures, such as those with deployed mothers or same-sex couples and parents to understand their unique challenges
Evaluate which types of family communication are most beneficial in each stage of deployment
Focus
Multiple Branches
Target Population
Population Focus
Military Component
Abstract
US military deployments have become more frequent and lengthier in duration since 2003. Over half of US military members are married, and many also have children. The authors sought to understand the process of deployment from the perspective of the military family. After a thorough search of the literature, 21 primary research reports of 19 studies with an aggregate sample of 874 were analyzed using qualitative metasynthesis. The deployment process was experienced in four temporal domains. The military family as a whole shared the pre-deployment transition: all family members felt uncertain about the future, needed to complete tasks to “get ready” for deployment, and experienced a sense of distancing in preparation for the upcoming separation. The AD member went through the deployment transition independently, needing to “stay engaged” with the military mission, building a surrogate family and simultaneously trying to maintain connection with the family at home. In parallel, the home front family was going through a transposement transition, moving forward as an altered family unit, taking on new roles and responsibilities, and trying to simultaneously connect with the deployed member and find support from other military families. In post-deployment, the family went through the “reintegration” transition together, managing expectations, and readjusting family roles, all needing understanding and appreciation for their sacrifices during the recent separation. Effective family communication was important for military family well-being after deployment but unexpectedly challenging for many. Clinical, research, and policy recommendations are discussed.
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