Military Families and Children During Operation Iraqi Freedom

Abstract

The general public has become increasingly interested in the health and well being of the children and families of military service members as the war in Iraq continues. Observers recognize the potential stresses or traumas that this population might undergo as a result of the military deployment or the possible injury or death of military family members. While such concern is welcomed, it is sometimes misplaced. Not infrequently, conclusions that are drawn are fraught with misunderstanding and bias based upon lack of understanding of the military community or a preconceived notion of the vulnerabilities of the population. This problem is compounded by the paucity of scientific study. In this article the authors review the strengths of military families as well as the unique challenges that they face. The authors also highlight parental deployment, parental injury and parental death as unique stresses to military children and families. Available and pertinent scientific information is reviewed. Clinical observations of children and families during the ongoing war in Iraq are presented.

Do Secondary Trauma Symptoms in Spouses of Combat-Exposed National Guard Soldiers Mediate Impacts of Soldiers’ Trauma Exposure on Their Children?

“…The sample for this study was composed primarily of well-educated, high ranking Soldiers and their spouses, which is somewhat different than samples of typically younger and less educated active duty Soldiers. Soldier rank has been thought of as an estimate of socioeconomic status (Cozza et al 2005). Rank and education, however, were not significantly related to child secondary traumatic stress symptoms.…”

“…Serving in today's military often includes dangerous duty (Tanielian et al 2008;Hoge et al 2005), lengthy periods of separation, frequent geographic relocation, and the possibility of death and dismemberment of the military member (Cozza et al 2005). Military members, especially those serving in Army and Marine Corps combat units, have regularly been exposed to traumatic events that can have a lasting effect on themselves and their families (Herzog and Everson 2010).…”

Combat‐injured service members and their families: The relationship of child distress and spouse‐perceived family distress and disruption

“…As nearly half of service members are married, many of the injured return to families with children of various ages. The disruption to families and children after a parent has been injured can be substantial (Cozza, Chun, & Miller, in press;Cozza, Chun, & Polo, 2005).…”

Military Mothers

“…Numerous studies, conducted primarily in the US Armed Forces, have highlighted the aftereffects of separation on child behavioural and emotional functioning (Orthner & Rose, 2005a;Jensen, Martin & Watanabe 1996;Cozza, Chun & Polo, 2005).…”