With an effect like falling dominos, reserve units have been deployed to military bases to replace active military forces sent to war in Iraq. Out of Northwest Ohio, the 180th Fighter Wing and 612th Engineer Battalion were deployed to Ft. Bragg in January, and the possibility remains high of them being deployed to the Middle East.

To help families through the ordeal of deployment, the Ohio National Guard has created seven regional Family Assistance Centers throughout the state. Each center is staffed with a full-time counselor to assist families with good communication, accurate information and strong mutual support.

As Toledo’s counselor, Patty Prater serves as a liaison between the state and family members. “Say for example, someone loses their ID badge. I help them get a replacement, so they can receive their benefits,” Prater said.

In other cases, a reserve may be having difficulty receiving a military benefit. “I call the state officials and ask what’s going on with the guy,” Prater said.

Quite often, “We find that some guys get married right before they are deployed, so they have a dependent that doesn’t know anything about their benefits,” Prater said. As part of her job, Prater is available when questions arise for the newlywed on entitled benefits.

Additionally, the Family Assistance Center provides a meeting place for family support groups. The meetings, called “homefront gatherings,” allow friendships and networks to develop to help them through the process.

Homefront gatherings are held once a month, and in times of deployment, the meetings are initially increased to every two weeks. While the units are currently deployed, a recent meeting included a speaker from the American Red Cross to inform families of the assistance they offer to the military. In another meeting, families prepared sealed packages of trail mix to distribute to the troops, Prater said.

The Family Assistance Center also provides chaplain services for spiritual counseling, and legal assistance for wills and the power of attorneys. Its newsletter reminds families of tips to help them be prepared for deployment.

Another program helps families keep in touch through times of separation. To avoid an increase in the expense of long-distance calls, a “Defense Switched Network” allows reserves to make a free 15-minute phone call home once a week for deployments over two weeks in length.

There is also an emergency resource network, where veterans and volunteers assist family members with household problems, such as the kitchen sink backing up or the lawnmower not starting. The spouse remaining at home is less likely to feel overwhelmed by unexpected problems.

Reserve families also have access to an Air Force Web site designed specifically for military spouses. The site provides a network for at-home spouses to communicate with others across the country having first-hand experiences with deployment. They learn from each other by sharing their experiences.

Considering that the 180th operates from a hangar at the Toledo Express Airport, there is no military base to give a sense of community for the reserves, but the Family Assistance Center provides families with a community network.

The seven-stage process of emotions associated with deployment

*Stage 1 – Anticipate Loss – may experience fear, denial, and stress

*Stage 2 – Detachment – may want to pull away, results in an increase in family arguments (occurs one week before deployment)

*Stage 3 – Emotional Confusion – may feel abandonment, loss and disorganization (first six weeks of separation)

*Stage 4 – Adjustment – may feel a mix of confidence and calming effects

*Stage 5 – Anticipate Return – may have high expectations or possible worries about reuniting (six weeks before return)

*Stage 6 – Renegotiation – may experience family role confusion or resist returning to predeployment status

*Stage 7 – Stabilization – acceptance of new roles (six to seven weeks after return)

For more info visit:

http://www.ohtole.ang.af.mil/family/Emotions%20’%Preparations.htm