Information About Families of Soldiers in Iraq
With 145,000 U.S. soldiers serving in Iraq as of October 2009, many families are being directly affected by the war in that country. Understanding more about these families can help others understand the challenges they face and how to help them while loved ones are fighting abroad.
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Types of Families
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Families of soldiers in Iraq come in a variety of sizes and forms. Some are married with no children while others have chosen to live with their boyfriends or girlfriends. Mothers with four or five children serve in Iraq alongside single fathers with one or two children. Some soldiers are divorced and some are separated. Parents of soldiers are concerned that their children return safely from the war zone. Siblings write letters of encouragement to their sisters and brothers.
Where They Live
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Families that have soldiers in Iraq live all over the world. Soldiers in Iraq are stationed in Japan, Germany, Bavaria, Kentucky, Texas and North Carolina, among other locations. Spouses and children can live on the military base that the soldier is stationed on free of charge. These families can also opt to take a housing stipend and live off base.
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Divorce
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U.S. soldiers fighting in Iraq deploy for year at a time. A nine-month break is what many of them get before heading back. These long tours of duty are put a severe strain on soldiers' families. Divorces is common among spouses with soldiers fighting in Iraq. Families with a female soldier are three times as likely to have a divorce.
Other Effects on Family Life
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Post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) affects many soldiers that come back from Iraq. This disorder also affects the families who have to help them deal with PTSD. Parents fighting in Iraq miss holidays, birthdays, recitals, soccer games and other events in their children's life. Mothers give birth to babies without the help of their partner. When parents come home after a long tour, children sometimes take a while to warm up to the stranger that they call "mom" or "dad."
Feelings During Separations
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Families who have members fighting in Iraq are under pressure. Long absences sometimes make the remaining parent feel as though he is a single parent. Children sometimes react in negative ways, especially if they have not learned to express themselves fully. Parents waiting to hear word from their daughter will feel anxious. Soldiers in the war zone experience feelings of guilt for missing important family events such as the birth of a child or the golden anniversary of grandparents. It is important that all members of the family deal with these feelings in order to have a healthful outlook on the situation.
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