The Emotional Cycle of Deployment: During Deployment

1. The Emotional Cycle of Deployment: During Deployment Gerta Bledsoe January 2014

2. Objectives • Discuss the stages of the emotional cycle of deployment. • Identify common characteristics of the during deployment stages and corresponding coping strategies.

3. The Emotional Cycle of Deployment Post Deployment Pre Deployment Deployment

4. Anticipation of DepartureDetachment and Withdrawal • Denial • Anticipation of the loss • Feeling conflict • Frequent disagreements • Anger and resentment • Restlessness • Depression • Irritability Pre Deployment • Emotional distance • Sadness • Despair • Hopelessness • Increasing conflict • Lack of energy • Indecisive • “What ifs”

5. Emotional Disorganization • Restless • Confused • Disorganized • Indecisive • Irritable • Sleep Difficulty • Anxiety • Lonely • Frustrated Deployment

6. Recovery and Stabilization Deployment

7. Recovery and Stabilization Exercise • Work as a table. • Concentrate on Recovery and Stabilization section. • What are some coping strategies to overcome the actions and feelings in the first two columns on Handout 1? • What do you find is the biggest challenge in this stage? And how are you overcoming it? • How are you dealing with long-distance parenting?

8. Anticipation of Return Deployment

9. Anticipation of Return Exercise • Work as a table. • Concentrate on Anticipation of Return section. • What are some coping strategies to overcome the feelings in the first two columns on Handout 1? • What are some things you are doing now that the Service Member did before the deployment? How will that affect you? Will you need to “give them back”? Do you want to? • What is the challenge for the Service Member at this time? • When do you tell the children about the return? • How do you think family members not in the Service Member’s household feel as they look forward to the return?

10. Return Adjustment and Renegotiation Post Deployment • Make up for past months • Less independence • Resentment • Irritability • Negotiate new normal

11. Reintegration and Stabilization Post Deployment • Patience • Communication • Go slow • Lower expectations • Take your time

12. Deployment Resources • General /Specific: www.militaryonesource.com • Deployment Information: http://www.afterdeployment.org/ • Financial: www.dfas.mil • Fort Family: www.arfp.org/index.php/programs/fort-family-outreach-and-support • Military Family Network: www.emilitary.org • Joint Service Support: https://www.jointservicessupport.org/ • Operation Military Kids: http://www.nifa.usda.gov/nea/family/part/youthdev_part_military.html • Military Homefront: www.militaryhomefront.dod.mil • http://www.yellowribbon.mil/event-support (The Emotional Cycle of Deployment)

13. Understanding The Emotional Cycle of Deployment • Benefits: • a smoother overall deployment experience • recognize your emotions, strong or intense, are normal • plan ways to support the ones you care about • try new positive coping strategies • manage stress better • openly share your feelings • help children cope • handle multiple deployments • build resilience

14. Objectives • Discuss the stages of the emotional cycle of deployment. • Identify common characteristics of the during deployment stages and corresponding coping strategies.

15. The Emotional Cycle of Deployment: During Deployment Gerta Bledsoe January 2014