Written by:
Michael A. Robinson
Recently released statistics revealed that more than 500,000 American children have one or both parents serving in the National Guard or its Reserves alone. This is a significant fact when you consider the National Guard is currently being utilized in this Nation’s war on terror, with an estimated 300,000 members engaged in protecting America from terrorism (Surles, 2004).
Deployment is not easy for children; research indicates children of deployed parents have a myriad of emotional and social reactions to separation (Surles, 2004). Their responses can range from withdrawal, to behavioral disruptions in the classroom.
Understanding the emotional and social implications to children due to parental deployment is crucial when developing programs, services and resources for families experiencing deployment. There are three nationally accepted definitions and stages of deployment:
1. Pre-deployment: It is important for educational systems to understand this stage can last several weeks or just a matter of hours. Regardless of the time frame, the focus on providing immediate support to children has to be paramount
2. Deployment: Research has indicated one of the most important things educators can do for children while their parents are deployed is to develop ways to keep the parent connected to their child’s education and life
3. Reunion: In this phase, it is understood that the reunification process begins long before the parent arrives. It is during this time the child may experience mixed emotions. Realizing these emotions are happening, it is suggested that the professional staff in schools meet to discuss the parent homecoming with the child and what it means to the child and the family.
How Can School Systems Support the Children of Deployed Military Service Personnel?
Pre-Deployment:
- Provide when needed or requested sessions with the Professional School Counselor both group and individual to include the school psychologist.
- Use the information regarding deployment to discuss it from a Social Studies perspective and tie it into other related content areas.
- Train school staff on the social and emotional needs of military students.
- Increase related literature in the Parent/Community Resource rooms.
Deployment:
- Provide when needed or requested sessions with the Professional School Counselor both group and individual to include the school psychologist.
- Consider having a Family Support Night: Could be held on a quarterly basis coordinated by the School’s Formal Parent Organization (PTA/PTO).
- Establish a Parent Hotline where deployed parents can reach their children during the school day.
- Assign mentors to work with children.
- E-mail Progress Reports and Report cards to deployed parent (s) (if approved).
- Connect secondary students with community organizations in the area for service learning opportunities.
Reunion:
Provide when needed or requested sessions with the Professional School Counselor both group and individual to include the school psychologist.- Invite deployed parents who have returned to discuss their career, experience or future goals.
- Have a formal welcome home announcement regarding the parent return, using the school’s newsletter, website and marquee.
Services and Resources
Hotline Services: Military OneSource: A free 24-hour service, provided by the Department of Defense, is available to all active duty, Guard, and Reserve members and their families. Consultants provide information and make referrals on a wide range of issues. This program can be reached by telephone at 1-800-342-9647 or through the Web site at http://www.militaryonesource.com/.
Print Material: Talk, Listen, Connect: Produced by Wal-Mart and Sesame Street, Inc.
Websites:
Reserve Affairs: www.defenselink.mil/ra
Air National Guard: http://www.ang.af.mil/
Army National Guard: http://www.arng.army.mil/
Air Forces Reserves: www.afreserve.com/home4.asp
Army Reserves: www4.army.mil/USAR/home/index.php
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