How to Stay Connected to Your Spouse During Deployments

With deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan lasting up to eighteen months it can be very hard to deal with a spouse deploying. The separation, distance, and fear that comes with deployments can at times be almost unbearable. There are ways though, to deal with a spouse being deployed and stay connected during deployments.

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

Instructions

1. Communicate daily with your deployed spouse. Email, IMs, webcam chats, and snail mail are all great ways to stay in touch. If the internet is down one day and you don't get to talk, write a letter. The internet is obviously the best way to stay in touch if your soldier has access to it. If not you can still stay just as connected using regular mail. Just make sure that you area in constant communication so that the separation does not effect your marriage more than it has to.

2. Talk about every day life with your spouse. Maintaining normality is important for both of you. Talk about anything and everything. Little details about your day can be comforting to your spouse and make each other feel like you can have a part in the others day.

3. Swap pictures with your spouse at least once a week. Take pictures of the kids, the dog, yourself and have him take pictures of his FOB, fellow soldiers and himself. Doing this gives you and him a connection to the others life and something to talk about during your daily emails.

4. Look forward to the day he comes home again. Dreaming about him returning home and remembering what life was like before he left is a good way to stay emotionally connected with your soldier. It will remind you of why you love him and give you home for you current and future relationship.