Being on a military installation and working in a military/government job, I see families day in and day out with one or both parents who are deployed. Typically, there is no way around that if the parents are in the military. According to a new study by military doctors and researchers, results found that stress levels were high for children and spouses of deployed troops but also support networks, from military to religious, helped mitigate the problems. But is it enough?

According to the below article, “children surveyed who have a parent deployed in a war zone are at “high risk” for psychological problems”. Wow. This is disheartening, don’t you think? Seriously, we should stand up and applaud any American brave enough to join the military and essentially, instantly put their life at risk, just by joining. And with that, we should strive to make sure they are granted the opportunity to live as normal a life as possible, including having children if they so desire. But is having deployable parents in the military a curse to those children?

Funny thing about deployment and the impact on the family, the article states: “it is the return from deployment that is most stressful, according to three-quarters of those surveyed”. Gosh, it is hard on a family to loose that parent to deployment and it is harder on the family when they return, especially the soldier. It is hard to come back and find your place and fit into a well oiled machine (or so we hope) that has been running for months without you! That’s tough but really and truly, shouldn’t the child and getting them through these formidable years, with circumstances they didn’t choose, be the primary concern?

Hear me when I say, this is just a question to think and something that will never be reality, but I am going to ask anyway and get your opinion: Should military men and women have children during their deployable years?

Read the article below and talk to us about your thoughts concerning the negative repercussions when a military parent deploys and the children are left behind.

http://www.cnn.com/2009/HEALTH/09/02/military.kids.stress/index.html?iref=24hours

Holla back!

Just last evening my husband and I returned from Biloxi, MS. We were there to celebrate my brother retiring from the Air Force. Even after arriving in Biloxi, MS early Friday morning; I nor my husband, my sister, my cousin, her husband and my other young cousin, realized the ceremony we were about to witness, was just for Master Sergeant Sawyer. We thought it was an event similar to a graduating ceremony where many would be honored. Imagine our surprise and unsurpassed pride when we realized 600 airmen, the Air Force band and a host of other officials were all there just for my brother!

Master Sergeant Thomas E. Sawyer retired with 20 years of service to the United States Air Force. Master Sergeant Sawyer began his illustrious career serving at Eielson AFB in Fairbanks, AL and continued on to Luke AFB in Phoenix, AR; Nellis AFB in Las Vegas, NV; Defense Intelligence Agency in Washington, DC and ending at Keesler AFB in Biloxi, MS.

Never attending a military retirement ceremony, I really didn’t know what to expect. It was beautiful! I had to send him a text to ask how many awards he received. Even he lost count. I assure you, it was many! The professionalism and militant fashion combined with the obvious love, respect and admiration by colleague after colleague was phenomenal! The rituals that go along with these types of formal celebrations were impressive. And the icing on the cake was hearing Master Sergeant Sawyer giving his departing speech filled with thanksgiving to those who held him up along the way, appreciation for those he worked with side by side his last years at Keesler and finally, guidance and encouragement for the young airmen he was leaving behind. There were several times I became emotional myself. I don’t know how he made it through it without a complete breakdown, but he made it! He made it through the speech and he made it through 20 years of selfless service for our United States of America!

With his wife by his side, new baby in his arms, a few college degrees and a lot of experience under his belt, Master Sergeant Sawyer will shed the military titles and move to the next phase of life as just Thomas. It’s been a journey, the kind only Uncle Sam can take you on… but now it’s over!

Help me in saying congratulations to the newly retired Master Sergeant Thomas E. Sawyer! We love you and we are so very proud of you! God bless you on your new journey! We know part two will be just as successful as part one! Enjoy!  Holla back!