Military Health, military health and wellness, military physical fitness - Military Times

Kevlar for the mind: ‘Family time’ policy needs strengthening

Q. I returned from a 12-month deployment to Iraq last year and will deploy again later this year. Since our first day back, my unit’s chain of command has worked us nonstop to prepare for the next deployment. I know we need to “re-fit,” but how are we expected to decompress and reconnect with our families between deployments if we’re always working?

A. I heard this sentiment consistently from service members as an active-duty psychologist. It’s a complaint I had myself as an officer assigned to a highly deployed medical unit that got only 10 months of dwell time between 12-month and 15-month deployments.

The mantras of “take care of your family” and “take time to decompress” espoused by leaders after returning from deployment are met with cynicism by many service members. How are troops expected to tend to troubled marriages, help their children deal with problems at school or manage their own psychological well-being when they have to work nights and weekends between deployments?

They can’t.

The ideals of self-care and family care put forth by the upper military echelons must be more than ideals. They must become practical, monitored standards that reflect the immense need to allow service members to rest, recuperate and recover from long and hard deployments.

This is a responsibility of all levels of the chain of command, particularly the higher levels that have more influence over policies. If policies are put in place and senior leaders set the example for adhering to those policies, then the noncommissioned officers will enforce the standards. That’s how the military works.

There is some movement on this front. Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs, has publicly acknowledged deep concerns that even when troops aren’t deployed, they don’t get enough time with their families, something he calls “home tempo.”

A great example of putting theory into action can be found at Fort Hood, Texas. Army Lt. Gen. Rick Lynch, commander of III Corps and Fort Hood, has issued a standing order for the post that the workday normally ends at 5 p.m. — 3 p.m. on Thursdays — and there’s no working on weekends.

The military has many variations of the saying “People first.” You hear it from leaders throughout command suites, parade fields and barracks halls. Unfortunately, at times it seems these words convey an ideal more than a deliberate goal with a detailed plan of action.

Leaders must ensure that the men and women who sacrifice so much downrange are not asked to sacrifice just as much during their precious time at home.

Bret A. Moore, PsyD, is a board-certified clinical psychologist who served two tours in Iraq. E-mail him at kevlarforthemind@militarytimes.com. This column is for informational purposes only. It is not meant to convey specific psychological or medical guidance and does not substitute for professional mental health evaluation and/or treatment.