Military Family Research Paper

The standard military family understands the fact that their veteran will be not only deployed, but put in some of the most dangerous situations in history. However, in the midst of the danger a stronger bond and sense of survival builds inside each member of the family. When a family is dealing with having to accept that a member of their family will die for their protection, a new understanding of life is gained and accepted. In my life, I have had to say goodbye to my father, and have him absent from my life for over three years. Three whole years in which communication was limited and assurance of safety was not a thing. During these times I was faced with all the negatives of the military life, and personally felt that the military was

taking my father away from me. However, as I repeatedly saw my father grin coming home from deployment, I could tell that he wasn’t being used or just a pawn in the game. My father loved what he did and when he is home, my family has always lived life to the fullest. My father always recollects his grand memories of the military and cant thank the military enough for all the benefits and opportunities he has been given. I personally found his life so fascinating and the military so opportunistic for myself that I am currently in the Naval Reserve Officer Training Corp (NROTC) and plan to be commissioned when I graduate and begin my life journey. Military families like mine have come to the conclusion that if they can get through a nightmare such as the passing of their veteran, then they can grow stronger than ever and truly push themselves and everyone around them.
Veterans understand the ultimate reward for the risk that they are signing up for. Even To the degree that some have seen the consequences of the military life: death of their families or the grief of other families. Perhaps some of these veterans saw the death tolls on the news. Yet, the military has had no trouble getting volunteers to protect their country. (source). These young men and women are being inspired by the heroes returning home and being the role models that the world needs. “I developed a strong personality of my own…Our girls say that as a consequence, they have learned to be liberated, independent women in their own right too.” (Runge) Active duty servicemen are returning from deployments with a new vision of the world and its worth. A new understanding of living somewhere other than home and adapting to a new culture and recognizing new beliefs. The servicemen are returning from hell itself and are now equipped with the right mindset to conquer their next obstacle. Not only are they a better version of themselves before deployment, they are far surpassing the average person’s preparation in understanding life. Military members are given exclusive access to health care and economic benefits. Ranging from free doctor visits and consultations, to discounts at Disney World. The military is not the leading occupation in wealth, but it is successful in ensuring military members are trained with their money and can focus their decisions positively. There is, however, some controversy that veterans are also returning home and running into troubles and eventually poverty. Some people are arguing that the military and government loses sight of their veterans once they have given their service, and that too many veterans are being left to fend for themselves. (Hawryluk) However, what people fail to see is that the military is not a sole actor in leading to poverty. Any job, occupation, or lifestyle can lead a man to poverty. Military affiliation does have a major impact in preparing an individual, but it can be difficult to inspire someone who is far beyond the military’s capacity to influence.(Go into major detail) Veterans have experienced the dangers beyond imagination, and were determined to get through it. “When people face potentially life-ending or life-altering hazards, a resilience framework emphasizes positive objectives; building the capacity to respond effectively; the potential for recovery; and the power of relationships, families, communities, and other external resources to boost resilience, in addition to individual strengths and skills.2 As a result, resilience-based approaches convey respect for human capabilities and optimism about the future, while they simultaneously recognize the suffering and devastation that can arise in situations of extreme adversity, including war”. (Masten) Now service members are determined to get through the next step: college. Veterans are experienced in what the world has to offer and know what they can do to make a positive effect on it. Veterans are taking their GI bill and proving to themselves and society that veterans are not animals, but perfectly tuned machines that are meant for greatness. Veterans are leading the way in education and obtaining degrees and taking positions from young men who can’t comprehend what potential they have. (source) The memories that some veterans go through will stay with them till their demise. Many veterans will have seen death and understand the cruelty of losing someone too soon. It can be tough watching your friend die, but the brotherhood of the military holds the bond. Lost veterans are gone but never forgotten. Veterans have a friendship with comrades so strong that they are willing to die for each other. “Comradeship seems to be the cement of the Defense organization. The close bond between comrades benefits both the organization and the comrades. Facing abyssal horrors are something better not done on one’s own. In these circumstances, one needs comrades.”(Verweij) No other bond is stronger than that.”
I would like to add that friendship creates a ‘repository for the humane’. This is especially important in a military context. Friendship gives comradeship an extra dimension. It is not just about being there and sharing pain, fear, and despair, but friendship adds a moral dimension to this relationship. In this sense, friendship enriches comradeship: it contributes to a flourishing life, and in doing so it helps the friend to refrain from behavior that will disrupt his/ her humanity and thus his/her human flourishing. “
Although this may seem negative in some ways, death brings people closer to their living loved ones. Veterans may return home with new qualities to make them better, but no matter what family will always be the drive to keep a veteran going.
The opportunity of leadership and standing up for the right cause is perfect for strong-willed minorities and females. In modern times, minorities and females are constantly in the media defending themselves, over various topics and reasons. Whether it be the black lives matter movement or females raising their voices to be heard in society, each group yearns to be a leader. When it comes down to minorities and the military, the history of the military benefits for them is endless. Beginning as early as the American Revolution, in which slaves would devote their lives to the Union cause, and receive their freedom for their sacrifices. These men would go on to be in control of their lives and have a new start. Deals like these would continue throughout every war for minorities, gaining them respect or newly gained status in society. Even in modern times, while there might not be slavery or nearly as much discrimination, minorities still face standard set for them. However, the military is an open door for minorities to start a new life. The military is a golden ticket to get out of bad neighborhoods and from gang violence. Instead of minorities getting brainwashed to use their intelligence for harm, the military transforms their strengths and traits into new leadership roles. There is some controversy that the military can lead many veterans towards violence, and in return, initiate vets to cause the same harm to civilians. The same story goes for all female in the United States. Minority or even a white privileged woman has the opportunity to overcome society’s standards or expectations. Females are well respected within the military, to the extent that the military is forming its policies around the motives of many female leaders to ensure the most successful military branches. Brian, a 42-year-old nonmilitary veteran and husband of 22 years to an Air Force service woman shared “I would say the biggest benefit was the sense of pride that I got in my wife knowing that she was in a combat zone and doing really well.” Some husbands benefited from being able to serve the military by helping and supporting wives. Ex-active duty Navy service member—Garvin shared “We’re a team ... . what we are doing, in fact, impacts on the military and her ability to get her job done.”(Southwell) The world is evolving, and the military is making sure to lead the way for advancement in society. The military has raised its interest in female service members. To the extent of opening all combat roles to any women able to achieve the standards. (Rosenburg) This step was necessary in opening the world’s eyes that this upcoming generation will not mimic the standards of former standards. Women everywhere are changing the world by just signing up for the military, women are putting themselves on the line of danger and receiving new opportunities and rewards for all their actions. The military is offering women to make the positive impact on the world that they desire.
When a veteran swears himself into the military, he is making the ultimate decision for his family to endure his dangerous journey as well.

The dependents of a military may not endure the full effects of war or danger as the veteran himself. But, the dependents are not to be overlooked for their courage as well. Dependents have to deal with the deployments in their own way. Dependents are also being forced to move to a new home. Dependents are expected to make new friends. School becomes just a short-term memory for the children. It could be easy for a family under pressure like this to cave. However, a deeper love is developed under these harsh circumstances. “Crystallized out of his experiences as an inmate in Nazi concentration camps is Frankl's belief that people's chances of surviving such experiences are increased, or even enabled, by the act of finding some positive meaning to the experiences themselves. One way that he summarizes the essence of his belief is by quoting from Nietzsche that "That which does not kill me makes me stronger”.” Families begin prioritizing and understanding the necessities of life. Dependents begin to develop positive independence and learn to create and shape themselves to their utmost potential. “Children in military families are at no higher risk of behavioral problems than civilian children, and that frequent moves in particular can have positive outcomes by building family cohesion and resilience.”(Clever) In most cases, veteran’s dependent children are currently busy with school and all its necessities. In military families studies have shown the child to react in two general ways to their military parent. The first option is that they have minor struggles in getting through problems and lack the full state of mind of why their parent veteran is gone. However, studies have shown extraordinary results in which the child understands and copes with the parent and the child pushes his strong emotions towards sports and education.

”Children may also see moving as an opportunity to change their behavior and do better in school.” (Clever) Which in the long run pushes the child to keep improving themselves and strengthening themselves independently, so that when failure comes, they respond with a positive attitude. “Across the service branches, the military has acted to improve the systems that support service members and their families. These efforts reflect the military’s implicit or explicit belief that children’s wellbeing influences the successful functioning of their service member parents, and that the military’s collective effectiveness depends, now and in the future, on the success of the children and families who serve along with their parents, spouses, and partners.” (Masten) The military does not allow any negative circumstances if it can help it. The military not only provides the family with extra money, but it also reaches out to the family with different programs and activities to bring different families together to help one another. A system of families gather together to take care of one another and ensure they all are in good health. An instance that can be greatly visualized through the movie We Were Soldiers. In the movie the wives of Vietnam veterans had daily meetings and would gather to mourn the deaths and overcome the sorrow. In the movie, these meetings were stressed to be a significant factor in holding the morale and hope of a society that wasn’t on the battlefield. Communication was of course difficult during these times, so the meetings and friends were a necessity to get through each day. However, New technology is being developed in order for communication between the families and their veteran to be more constant. Technology such as international Skype calls, and a more advance instant text messaging. These advances will be able to aid in depleting stress through regularly available contact. Military life can be very difficult on families during deployments, but the military puts forth it all efforts to ensure the most comfort in these rough times. So that in the end, the veteran will return home and the military will have proved to “have the families’ back.”
When given the right tools to succeed, people will find it easier to strive for their dreams and desires. The military can be one the best tool for overcoming life’s obstacles and obtaining the goals of each person affiliated.