Effects of military deployment on soldiers and families

¶ … Deployment on Soldiers and Their Families

The current prolonged involvement of United States armed forces in Iraq and Afghanistan since 2001 and 2003 respectively have now substantially exceeded the duration of military deployment of World War II. Contrary to their expectations, many soldiers have had to serve multiple deployments in those theaters, in many cases, extending their military service well beyond their intended length of military service; in some cases, they have even been recalled after their retirement pursuant to federal law that obligates their service in times of war (McGirk, 2009). Even under "ordinary" circumstances such as during peacetime, military deployment is tremendously stressful for both soldiers as well as their families remaining at home. In wartime, those stresses are increased tremendously, largely because of the obvious increased risk to life and limb associated with combat.

Deployment and Its Effects on Soldiers

Some of the consequences of prolonged (and repeated) deployment have included a dramatic rise in instances of post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), major clinical depression, and disruption of family relationships, believed to affect at least one of every five combat veterans who have served in either Iraq of Afghanistan (McGirk, 2009). Alcoholism, suicide, spousal abuse, and even several high-profile specific instances of murder have all been linked to PTSD. Even where soldiers do not suffer from PTSD of from other acute reactions to deployment in a combat zone, many experience mild depression, emotional isolation, and significant difficulties both while separated from their families overseas as well as upon their return to civilian life. In many cases, they find it difficult to readapt to their civilian way of life and the longer and more stressful the circumstances of their deployment, the greater those difficulties are (McGirk, 2009).

Solutions

Unfortunately, there may be no solution for many of the natural consequences of prolonged military deployment simply by virtue of the effects of the separation of soldiers from their families. However, it is apparent that one of the most important solutions to some of the more serious problems linked to stress reactions such as clinical depression, PTSD, and even the ordinary reorientation confusion experienced by the sudden transition from a combat zone to civilian life is a matter of proactive involvement of mental health counselors (McGirk, 2009). In that regard, the evidence suggests that waiting until problems manifest themselves is not a sufficient way of dealing with the problem. Instead, returning combat veterans must receive more extensive counseling and more than the standard reorientation classes that have previously been relied upon to smooth their transition back to civilian life.