ChristianMilitaryWives

by Jocelyn Green
Finally, you can see the light at the end of the tunnel. Deployment is almost over! How do you prepare for the transition immediately following the homecoming reunion?

Former FRG leader Shasta Erts recommends this list of 37 things to keep in mind for that post-deployment transitional period. She received this from a group called Wives of Warriors at a PWOC (Protestant Women of the Chapel) event. Thanks for sharing, Shasta!

The return of a deployed spouse is a joyous event and certainly the answer to many prayers. But as any veteran military wife will tell you, a happy homecoming does not necessarily mean "happily ever after." Both spouses have grown and changed while separated, and you need time to adjust to your new chapter of life.

Here are a few resources to help you make the transition:

1) Coming Home Prayer Card. Anticipating the return of a loved one from military service can be overwhelming. Coming Home Prayer Card can help you relate with your spouse on a deeper level. Included are three ways that you can pray for your spouse and connect with God so the return home is a harmonious reunion. Order from Family Life here.

2) Focus on the Family offers several articles on post-deployment life, including the short-term reality and the long-term reality.

3) Life After Deployment: Military families share reunion stories and advice by Karen Pavlicin is an excellent book full of good advice. It's not written from an explicitly Christian perspective, but I have used it as a resource several times. I especially appreciate the author's exploration of expectations, communication, and age-appropriate ways to work the returning parent back into daily family life.

4) After Deployment. This Web site helps returning soldiers and their families make the post-deployment transition. Resources offered cover dealing with stress, depression, anger, sleep problems, physical injuries and more.

5) If your returning spouse has combat trauma or post-traumatic stress, please check out the Faith Deployed Resources page and scroll down to see several Web sites and books specifically for these veterans and their families.

Also check out Happily Ever After?, a Faith Deployed excerpt.

What other resources have you found to be helpful in that post-deployment transition period? Please leave comments!