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Return and Reunion. Integrated Delivery System Chapel Life Skills Youth Services Family Support Center Health and Wellness Center. Why This Briefing?. Help phase back into home, community and work environments Identify common homecoming concerns Recognize changes in relationships
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Return and Reunion Integrated Delivery System Chapel Life Skills Youth Services Family Support Center Health and Wellness Center
Why This Briefing? • Help phase back into home, community and work environments • Identify common homecoming concerns • Recognize changes in relationships • Identify and address potential challenges • Help differentiate expectations from realities • Return you to duty, ready and eager to go.
Overview • Reintegration • Practical Issues • Reintegration Stress • Dealing with Stress • Reunion with family
Reintegration • The PROCESS of airmen and civilians returning back into a stable and “normal” environment • Reintegration is a SLOW process • Remember you will have to achieve a new “normal” in relationships.
Practical Issues • In-Processing • Unit Deployment Manager • Commander’s Support Staff • MPR/PRU, update MILPDS & MANPER-B • Medical • Life Skills Support Center Dental • Family Practice/Flight Medicine Public Health • Family Advocacy • Legal • Terminate powers of attorney • Claims
Practical Issues • Financial Matters • Travel voucher/entitlement changes • Government Travel Card • Family/personal budget • Utilities (phone, gas, water, electric) • AAFES (layaway, STAR card) • Vehicles • Registration and maintenance • Insurance, JCI • Driver’s license
Return and Reunion • Possible thoughts and feelings • Proud of accomplishments • Want to reestablish living situation • Financial concerns • Social life/ significant others • Work reunion • Singles are often overlooked
Practical Tips • Put your house back in order • New roommate/residence if single • Recognize changes in self and others • Different living environment • Changes in social circle • Assess relationships • Friends and Family • Focus on present and future • Limit use of alcohol • Be patient with self and others
Marriage and Reintegration • Anticipation • Changes at home • Trust / fidelity • Communication • Intimacy • May be a major adjustment • Re-establish intimacy slowly and naturally • Talk about how you feel and think • Be sensitive to how your partner feels and thinks
Stress and Reintegration • From the desert to the front porch • Redeployment/reintegration sounds easy • NORMAL may be very stressful • Seek help: Chapel, unit, friends, Life Skills, Hospital, Family Support Center, etc.
Stress and Reintegration • Signs of Stress • Physical • Behavioral • Cognitive (thoughts) • Emotional
Stress and Reintegration • Physical Signs • Upset stomach, nausea • Diarrhea, constipation • Heart pounding, dizzy or lightheaded, out of breath, cold sweat, dry mouth, or pale skin • Headaches, migraines • Vague aches and pains • Impotence
Stress and Reintegration • Behavioral Signs • Changes in eating habits • Changes in sleeping patterns • Fatigues, lack of energy • Jumpiness, fidgety • Bad personal hygiene • Crying spells • Withdrawal, avoidance of others • Increase in alcohol use • Disregard for rules, regulations, social norms
Stress and Reintegration • Cognitive Signs • Poor concentration • Difficulty in making decisions • Flashbacks • Unwanted thoughts • Nightmares • “Spaced out” or trouble focusing • Memory problems
Stress and Reintegration • Emotional signs • Loss of motivation • Loss of “purpose” or direction • Lost of trust/confidence in leaders • Frustration, anger, impatience, irritability • Depression, sadness • Worried, anxious, “keyed up” • Guilt, shame • Numb (don’t feel anything) • Thoughts of hurting self or others
Stress and Reintegration • Signs of distress (time to get professional help) • Post-traumatic stress • Definition • Signs and symptoms • Bizarre or unusual behavior • Domestic violence • Abuse of alcohol • Signs and symptoms • Thinking about suicide
Stress solutions • Take care of yourself! • Mentally • Physically • Emotionally • Communicate! • Develop or renew outside interests • Allow for space and time • Establish realistic expectations • Positive thinking • Seek help
Chain of Command Supervisors Family Support Center Medical Group Life Skills Health and Wellness Center (HAWC) Chaplains Legal Red Cross Family and friends Single Airmen Extreme Air Force One Source Resources You are never alone!
It’s all about change • Changes in work environment • Change of work pace • Mission/duty changes • Resentment from co-workers • Added workload due to TDY • Deployment war stories • Not part of “real mission” • Staff turnover
Deployments are a way of life in our Air Force a Stumbling Block or a Building Block The strength of our force and our families depends on you making the right choice Additional information for parents follows!
Children and Reintegration • Normal Development Reactions • Infant (Birth to 1 year) • Toddlers (1 – 3 years) • Pre-school (3 – 5 years) • School Age (5 – 12 years) • Teenagers 13 – 18 years)
Children and Reintegration:Birth to One Year Infants: • Their world is very small • Eat, sleep, cry, and eliminate – often • Depend on parents for everything • Grow rapidly • Senses develop quickly Reactions to parents return: • Cry or fuss • Pull away from returning parent • Have problems with elimination • Change their schedule (eating and sleeping)
Children and Reintegration:One – Three Years Toddlers: • Excitement • Very active • Independent • Self-centered • Repeat words and phrases Reactions to parents return: • Shy • Avoid returning parent • Cry, pull away • Temper tantrums
Children and Reintegration:Three – Five Years Pre-schoolers: • Very active • Imitate adults • Active imagination • Ask lots of questions Reactions to parents return: • Anger • Need proof you are real • Compete for attention • Act out • Need time to warm up to you
Children and Reintegration:Five – Twelve Years School Age Children: • Appetite and growth have increased • High energy level • Daydream • Very sensitive to criticism and evaluation Reactions to parents return: • Joy, excitement • Anxiety with changing roles • Compete with parent(s) • Desire recognition • Seek attention • Attempt to split parents
Children and Reintegration:Thirteen – Eighteen Years Teenagers: • Responsible one minute & irresponsible the next • Moody • Experienced in rapid changes • Independent, but still need guidance Reactions to parents return: • Relief • Excited • Guilt • Concerned about roles and responsibilities
Parenting and Reintegration • Go slow, ease back into parenting roles and discipline • Don’t give into demands of guild • Be realistic • Be flexible • Seek information on child development • Spend one-on-one time with each child • Be giving of your time and energy • Communicate
Conclusion • Questions?