For troops, in all branches of the military, and their families, being separated from one's loved one(s) for any length of time has its challenges. The family and also various community stakeholders make sacrifices and adjustments to their daily lives in order to share and preserve the freedoms we hold dear. While deployment has its challenges for military families, they are resilient.
Troops can best do their job when they know their families are being well cared for back at home With support from their families, the military, and their communities, all will come through with flying colors.
In his famous speech, President John F. Kennedy said, “ask not what your country can do for you - ask what you can do for your country." Here is an opportunity for all of us to do just that. Whether you agree with the war or not, one thing we can all agree on is supporting our fellow countrymen, women, and children.
With our upcoming Independence Day, July is the perfect time to show your true colors. Let’s get creative and support our troops in all branches of the military and their families.
Here are some ways that you and your community can get involved...
Communities Can:
o Post a Communitywide Deployment Support Plan on the city webpage.
o Honor military families at community events and plan events to show support for troops and their families.
o Erect a memorial, or other patriotic display to show support and to honor troops, as well as, their families.
Libraries Can:
o Provide and display children and adult literature that supports military families.
o Provide story times using this children’s literature and plan high-interest activities. This will support children of military families and educate civilian children about their country and those who serve them.
For a list of possible books see the other blogs on this site.
Media Can:
o Inform the public about their military’s activities
o Educate the public on the impact of deployment on soldiers, their families, and the community
o Honor troops and their families on radio and TV, and in their publications
Businesses, Churches, and Community Organizations Can:
· Recognize and thank troops and their families in your business, congregation or organization.
· Be understanding and supportive when your employee, volunteer, or member must leave their duties for training and deployment.
· Thank troops and their families on marquees.
· Donate to, volunteer with, or learn about established organizations that support military families. A few are:
o The Military Child Education Coalition, www.militarychild.org
o The National Military Family Association, www.nmfa.org
o The National Guard Bureau Community Outreach Program, www.guardfamily.org
o Our Military Kids, www.ourmilitarykids.org
o United Through Reading, http://www.unitedthroughreading.org/military/
Operation HomeFront, http://www.operationhomefront.net/default.aspx
o Your local VFW or American Legion
o Donate computer equipment, phone cards/minutes or postage materials so families can stay in touch.
o Write to or send care packages or donate items for care packages to soldiers. http://www.soldiersupportofbg.webs.com/ or http://www.adoptaplatoon.org/
o Sponsor events or services for military families, for example: Restaurants can provide a meal for Family Readiness and Support Groups
o Provide school supplies or donate to extracurricular activities that can support and occupy children through deployment. If your business would like to sponsor an event, support children, etc., contact the Family Readiness Support Assistant, or the Family Assistance Specialist of the military branch near you.
o Donate materials or monetarily donate to children’s Deployment Support Groups.
o Buy books for children. See the list on this blog.
The Chamber of Commerce or another organization can:
o Develop a comprehensive list of reputable business/services that military spouses can turn to when their spouse is deployed. (plumbers, mechanics, lawn care, home maintenance, etc).
Businesses Can:
o Provide discounts or gift cards to military families
Churches & Organizatins Can:
o Pray for troops, their families, our country and its leaders.
o Provide respite care or a Parent’s Night Out for Home-Front parents
o Provide car washes, oil changes, lawn service, home maintenance, and
meals for home-front families.
o Provide children’s extracurricular activities that can keep children occupied during deployment.
o Mentor and/or tutor children
If your Businesses, Church, or Community Organization would like to sponsor an event, provide services, or support, etc., contact the Family Readiness Support Assistant or the Family Assistance Specialist of the branch nearest you.
Schools Districts, Schools and Staff Can:
throughout training, deployment, reunion and reintegration. For example, provide Learning Contracts or allow excused absences immediately before and after deployment so families can spend precious time together.
· Educate staff about the effects of deployment on children and their families
· Maintain a positive, safe, and consistent environment
for all children.
· Provide individual or group school counseling support
· Celebrate children from military families during
assemblies
· Videotape or SKYPE Parent-Teacher Conferences and
school events
· Create visual tributes on bulletin boards, marquees,
walls, etc.
- Provide high-interest activities that will help students
get their minds off the stress of deployment.
· Be sensitive in conversation, teaching and media about the war
· Share resources to help families coordinate
carpooling, meal sharing, child care co-ops and support groups in their neighborhood or community.
For more ideas on how districts, schools and staff can support children and their families, go to www.militarychild.org or see this website for more ideas on how various school staff can support children.
Individual Citizens Can:
· Pray for troops, their families, our country and its
leaders.
· Get to know a military family. Ask how you can help.
· Write to or send care packages or donate items for care
packages to soldiers. http://www.soldiersupportofbg.webs.com/ or http://www.adoptaplatoon.org/
· Develop and promote understanding between civilian
and military citizens
· Thank a serviceman or woman.
· Mentor and/or tutor a child whose parent is deployed
· Donate to or volunteer with established organizations
that support military families. (See ideas above in the
Businesses, Church, or Community Organization
section.)
· Tie a yellow ribbon around an old oak tree, fly a flag in your yard, etc.
· Practice gratitude for your freedom, your spouse and
family. Don’t complain about the war.
References:
Some excerpts paraphrased from “Raising Resilient Kids”, written by Lynne Michael Blum, PhD, Connected Kids LLC and Johns Hopkins University Military Child Initiative.
