United States Military Families, Disruptions

[Page 1017]The purpose of this discussion is to describe military families, the associated issues they face during separation, and the supports that are available. The primary goals of such supports are to strengthen the family and to help the service member to be able to focus on his or her mission, with minimal distraction. The ultimate goal is to maximize both service and family members' adaptation to this potentially stressful lifestyle. Note that there is no such thing as a monolithic military family. In most cases, military families are a microcosm of other families in the United States. The major difference between military and nonmilitary families is that service to the military becomes much more than a job—it becomes a lifestyle choice that has ramifications ...