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CHANGE IN MILITARY CAREER STRUCTURE In the past and to a significant extent still today, the military career structure has been based on the lifestyles of single males. A common motto in the Army used to be, “If the army wanted you to have a wife, it would have issued you one”, which can also be applied to families. However, with the emergence of improved war technologies producing higher training costs and the higher concern for retaining trained personnel, the ratio of single to married personnel with families has been falling. Some other factors that have come into play have been the post WWII changes in international policy requiring large peacetime active personnel, which has opened doors for families in the military. Also, the US policy to switch to an all-volunteer service policy has meant that the military has had to appeal to the married sector as well as single men and women. In 1953, only 38% of all active duty personnel were married, and as in 1976, that number grew to 56%. A 1992 survey of personnel showed that approximately 41% of military women and 53% of the men have children. The survey also showed that 61% of all personnel were married. Much of the difference between military and civilian life lies in its irregularity. Not one part of a service member’s life is exempt from the demands of the military as long as they are enlisted. Only as rank increases do service members get a significant say in how much or where they want to work. STRUCTURE AND DEMANDS OF MILITARY FAMILY Although the military considers family issues as secondary to the requirements of service personnel, there have been several improvements to military family issues in the past ten years. Operation Desert Storm brought renewed interest in their issues and helped expand the role of Family Centers that responded to the needs of families in crisis. For the military family, everything that they do is temporary and interruptible as long as they are considered Dependents. In a 1980 survey of LADYCOM readers (a magazine intended for military wives), 75% of military wives said that military life involves more sacrifice than civilian concerning family disruptions. Since the service member is often called away unexpectedly and sometimes at extended periods of time, family, financial, and social responsibilities fall on the spouses. Some typical and often detrimental characteristics of a military family are that their lifestyle demands unlimited commitment, constant mobility, and isolation from the civilian community. For children, they depend much on the guardian that is left with them and who is often left with much of the responsibilities of the family both financially and emotionally. SOCIAL INTERACTION For the military child, a unique situation of socialization with peers and other persons occurs. With the constant mobility that affects many families of military personnel, the child is pressed to form quick relationship making skills with their peers. It is a common stereotype of many of these children that they make friends easily and cope well with long-distance relationships. However, in the past, this system presented difficulties because of sudden address changes and time management issues. Today, more than ever, it is easier to continue lasting relationships through e-mail, instant messaging, phone calls, and also written letters. In some cases, children have found difficulty adjusting to new environments, especially on civilian territory among non-military children due to differences in lifestyles and fear of exclusion. Many cases of military children with emotional isues such as these and children that are not given the chance to socialize normally show that they may result in developments of future psychological disorders. However, on a military base the child is among peers dealing with similar situations. Military children are also associated with the ability to take authority and discipline more readily than many children of their age. Higher maturation rates among children separated frequently from one or more parents are common. They are often asked (or made) to take on more responsibilities within the family unit and out if it from lack of assistance elsewhere. This and the often close proximity to authority figures and structured style of a militant career can create a familiar and comfortable setting for a child. SEPARATION AND DEPLOYMENT For children whose parents are constantly absent, or for children of deployed parents, the emotional responses vary depending on their developmental stage. A sudden negative change in a military child going through this stage can be reasonably attributed to the deployment or separation of the parent(s). Infants Infants less than a year old are in need of constant care and nurturing. When the primary caregiver of the household shows signs of significant depression, the likelihood that the child will be prone to apathy will increase. Some other common behaviors of infants to separation are refusal to eat, resulting in weight loss, and moods of listlessness. Some ways to counteract this type of behavior are to gain support from parents, pediatricians, and community through counseling and early intervention. Military Community Services and Social Work support, as well as serial exams performed by pediatricians to watch the development of the child are helpful. Toddlers and Preschoolers Toddlers and preschoolers tend to deal with separation similarly. They generally become irritable and sad, and demand attention and affection especially from their primary caregiver. Toddlers have a knack for imitating the emotions and attitudes of the primary caregiver, and if the guardian is dealing with the situation well, then most likely so will the child. Conversely, if the main guardian does not cope well, then the child will equally have troubles. Some common behaviors in toddlers are crying, becoming sullen, throwing tantrums, and developing sleep disturbances. Among preschoolers, regression in skills, aggression, and overactive imaginations can be troublesome. Guardians are told to be frank when answering questions of the child, and to increase attention and physical closeness. School Age Children The most common behaviors among school age children dealing with deployment are complaining, irritability, and sadness. Some children have an inclination towards depression and act out while others lose interest in daily activities such as school, eating, and even friendships. Spending time with guardians and especially the deployed parent are much needed for normal social development. Teenagers Teenagers, usually classified as minors between 13 and 18, often cope with the separation of a deployed parent by isolating themselves. Many try to deny problems and worries that are plaguing them, and are in need of counseling and patience from guardians. Due to their emotional detachment, some teenagers may be at greater risk for substance abuse or promiscuity. However, not all children of military personnel act in this manner. Oftentimes children, especially teenagers, mature more quickly than their peers and are able to take on more responsibilities inside and outside of the household. Sometimes they become somewhat of a surrogate adult, assisting in discipline of younger children, or being emotional support for others as well. EDUCATION Due to their mobility, Military children often receive varied forms of education. For the children that move continuously, this might mean changing schools every year depending on their parent's orders. Oftentimes, a child feels inadequate always being the "new kid", and is encouraged to join extra-curricular activities. Unfortunately, many extra-curricular activities require previous years of experience or participation, but many Boys and Girls clubs are available anywhere such as Girl Scouts and Boy Scouts . Children also may also have difficulties meeting state requirements, including performance on standardized testing which differs across the country, and graduation requirements for older children. For this reason educators are often required to provide extra assistance in helping these children. Thanks to the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001, federal programs aimed at increasing the accountability of schools across the country were reinstated and also giving parents more of a choice of where they want their children to attend, including those affecting children of military personnel. Some other education options that many military families opt for besides public schooling have been: home schooling, distance learning, charter schools, private schools, and private schools. Many military bases also have primary and secondary schools on site that are available specifically for military children. In the classroom military children generally perform well in their studies. It has been shown that due to their often heightened tolerance for authority figures, including educators, they generally are able to take direction more readily. Although some children may take this as an excuse to rebel, many of them do their own independent studies in order to ensure they are caught up with prospective classes, meaning that they often excel compared to other students. Many cases of past military children show that they are more apt to attempt higher education or to join the military themselves. ASSISTANCE Several organizations exist to help children of military service members both educationally, socially, and emotionally. The Impact Aid Program, first developed in 1950, was designed to help school districts that had lost property tax revenue because of Federal tax-exempt property. It also assisted with extra enrollment expenditures due to federally connected children such as military children, and children living on Indian lands. Over 40 percent of their funds go to districts teaching the children of military personnel. Also, the Department Of Defense offers the largest employer-sponsored child care system in the Unites States in which they offer services at a cost according to the family's total income. Much of their services are supplemental to Impact Aid, because they help military children that attend un-impacted districts as well. Also, the Military has set up many primers for school personnel, educating them on how to deal with Military Children and the difficulties that they face. REFERENCES • Kaslow, Florence (1993). "The Military Family in Peace and War". New York: Springer Publishing. pp 1053-1054 • Albano, Sondra (1994). "Military Recognition of Family Concerns: Revolutionary War to 1993". ''Armed Forces & Society''. Vol. 20, Issue 2, p283, 20p. • Kohen, Janet (1984). "The Military Career Is a Family Affair". ''Journal of Family Issues''. 5:3 p401 • Zellman, Gail; Johansen, Anne (1995). "Military Child Care: Toward An Integrated Delivery System". ''Armed Forces & Society''. Vol. 21, Issue 4, p639-659, 3 charts • Angrist, Joshua; Johnson, John (2000). "Effects of Work-Related Absenses On Families: Evidence From the Gulf War". ''Industrial and Labor Relations Review''. Vol. 54, Issue 1, p41-58, 18p, 8 charts, 1 graph • Lamberg, Lynne (2004). "When Military Parents Are Sent To War, Children Left Behind Need Ample Support". ''The Journal of the American Medical Association''. University of Florida. Vol. 292, No.13 • (November 2003). "Children and Deployment". United States Army Civil Affairs and Psychological Operations Command (Airborne). Family Deployment Guide. ch4, p40-48. EXTERNAL LINKS Military Family Research Institute of Perdue University {Link without Title} Impact Aid {Link without Title} Department of Defense Education Activity {Link without Title} OurMilitaryKids.org {Link without Title} National Military Family Association {Link without Title} MilitaryChild.org {Link without Title} MilitaryStudent.org {Link without Title} Military Teens on the Move {Link without Title} |
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