"Waiting for the new normal": a case study of military family support processes in the state of Delaware
Date
2016
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Publisher
University of Delaware
Abstract
The United States responded to the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001 by entering into military battle in Afghanistan on October 7, 2001, a conflict that is officially known as Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF). In March, 2003 a second conflict was begun in Iraq referred to as Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF). The challenges of the combined conflicts have had a tremendous effect on the United States’ military. Troops are experiencing multiple and extensive deployments involving increased numbers of women and parents of young children, requiring long and stressful separations from family and community. ☐ This study was conducted in the state of Delaware, and focuses on the reintegration of military veterans and their families upon return from deployment using the lens of systems, social organization theory and ecological theories. In order to ascertain if and how the needs of military families are being met, interviews were carried out with individuals who had experienced deployment to Iraq or Afghanistan as a service or family member. The interviews were analyzed revealing: (a) adaptation from military to civilian life creates obstacles, (b) lack of accessibility to services is a support barrier, (c) military families experience a sense of marginalization from the media and the public and (d) support exists primarily from family members. ☐ The results are important because they reflect the current state of support and indicate that attention is needed to improve methods of delivering and creating support systems for military service members and their families.