Since October 2001, approximately 1.6 million United States troops were deployed to Afghanistan and Iraq striving for freedom. The most current statistics on the makeup of deployed military is 90% men, 10% women, 53% married, 68% married couples with children, 32% without children, 47% single, 13% single with children, and 87% single without children(Garcia). Soldiers enduring an extended deployment of six months or greater endure a five-stage emotional cycle including pre-deployment, deployment, sustainment, re-deployment, and post deployment. Each stage is classified by both a time period and emotional challenges that the soldier and their family will undergo. In order to have a successful deployment it is crucial for the …show more content…
On the other hand failure to overcome these challenges could result in unnecessary complications, affecting the deployed soldier and their family. Pre-deployment is the first stage and begins the day the soldier gets the warning order for deployment, this is when the family is typically in denial or in fear of losing their soldier. The first stage ends when the soldier actually departs, the pre-deployment time can vary from several weeks to more than a year (“Chapter 7-Emotional Stages of Deployment”). Before the process of deployment there are a multitude of preparations that need to be completed in a short time period. It is vital for families to prepare emotionally for a deployment including the potential stresses deriving from the situation. Families that have children should inform them about the deployment as soon as they can, as this allows the children time to prepare for the absence of a parent. Some families often look into support groups that will help them easily adjust to the changes that will occur throughout this difficult