A review of literature, coupled with years of personal clinical experience treating combat veterans, particularly those serving in National Guard and Reserves, indicates a dearth of research on the impact repeated combat deployments have on veterans in their family relationships. Reintegration problems are too often manifested as work/life readjustment stress, family role adjustment issues, relational dysfunction, child neglect and abuse, and domestic violence. These pressing problems highlight the need for greater focus by behavioral health, healthcare, federal agencies and other non-governmental organizations to create reintegration protocols and programs that enable combat veterans to more successfully reintegrate within their marital and family relationships. This qualitative study utilized a single case-study approach to explore spousal perceptions of marital and family relationship disturbances resulting from repeated combat deployment and reintegration of long-term active-duty service members. Although based on the responses from one military spouse, four themes emerged from this study that are likely to be common for other spouses and families who live through repeated deployment cycles: choice, progression, adaptability, and acceptance. Based on these thematic findings, there must be a greater focus on feedback, insights, and constructive suggestions directly from service members, their spouses and children as related to coping more successfully with repeated deployments and reintegration cycles. The results of this research are expected to be useful for military officials, governmental agencies, counselors, educators, and other mental health service providers who engage with this at-risk population of service member and their families about more effective educational and treatment options that can improve comprehensive services. / Doctor of Education / A review of literature, coupled with years of personal clinical experience treating combat veterans, particularly those serving in National Guard and Reserves, indicates a lack of research on the impact repeated combat deployments have on veterans in their family relationships. Reintegration problems are too often manifested as work/life readjustment stress, family role adjustment issues, relational dysfunction, child neglect and abuse, and domestic violence. These pressing problems highlight the need for greater focus by behavioral health, healthcare, federal agencies and other non-governmental organizations to create reintegration protocols and programs that enable combat veterans to more successfully reintegrate within their marital and family relationships. This qualitative study utilized a single case-study approach to explore spousal perceptions of marital and family relationship disturbances resulting from repeated combat deployment and reintegration of long-term active-duty service members.

Perceived self-efficacy plays a key role in healthy reintegration post-deployment. Reintegration is characterized as the final stage in the deployment cycle, including returning home from combat and reassuming home-front roles and responsibilities. The objective of this study is to describe a program, specifically the Military Teen Adventure Camp (MTAC), and evaluate the program’s effectiveness in increasing perceptions of self-efficacy among adolescents who have experienced the deployment of at least one parent. The findings suggest participating in Military Teen Adventure Camps have a positive effect on adolescent perceptions of self-efficacy, which could decrease family distress during reintegration.

A comparative review of statistical summary results of the Survey of Army Families demonstrated that there is a gap in the research on the emotional experiences of civilian military wives who do not participate in the Family Readiness Group (FRG). The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological study was to supplement the limited amount of scholarly research on the emotional experiences of civilian military wives and their lack of participation in the FRG during the deployment cycle. The theoretical framework of this study explored the military family syndrome through application of the double ABCX model in examining this phenomenon. The foundational research question inquired about the deployment-related emotional experiences of civilian military wives who do not participate in a FRG. Phenomenological interviews with 5 civilian military wives narrowed the gap in research as their specific experiences with the FRG of their soldier's unit were analyzed and coded to identify different categories and themes. Study results suggested that familiarity with the deployment cycle was a crucial determinant in how civilian military wives experience the deployment cycle and perceive the use of the FRG as a source of support. The perceived detached communication and engagement of the FRG organization and its leaders were also found to be contributing factors to civilian military spouse participation. The implications of these findings for positive social change are to inform FRG leadership of the importance of addressing the needs of new and seasoned civilian military wives to foster a more favorable perception of the organization and to promote the potential participation of new members.

Early childhood educators working to establish and maintain productive parent-teacher relationships are essential to the success of school-community partnerships in military- connected schools. The purpose of this study was to seek understanding of what early childhood educators had experienced while working with military families. Epstein's model of school, family, and community partnerships provided the conceptual framework for this study. The questions that guided this case study were designed to explore how early childhood educators established and maintained relationships with military families. Data collection consisted of semi-structured interviews with 8 early childhood educators in military-connected schools. Inductive data analysis was used to code the data initially and then to determine these 5 themes: (a) educators used many methods to communicate with families; (b) parent involvement was influenced by educator communication, family life, and school culture; (c) deployments impacted student achievement; (d) strong community resources were deemed necessary; and (e) military children benefitted from having resilient educators. Participants believed timely training addressing the unique needs of military families would be advantageous. A 3-day professional development for early childhood educators was developed to incorporate the findings of this study. School districts implementing the professional development for early childhood educators in a strong school, family, and community partnership will result and will lead to positive social change by increasing the academic achievement, emotional wellbeing, and social welfare of children of military families attending military-connected schools.