It is easy for us to hear what is happening in Ukraine and make judgements, condemning Russian soldiers for their actions. I think a natural response to many of the things we are hearing is horror and repulsion.
Although many service members have parents who are a key part of their support system, i.e., mothers and fathers who are very supportive of and strongly impacted by their son’s or daughter’s military service and life, resources and tools focused on their unique needs and concerns are challenging to find. Why are parents of service members often left out of the picture? One reason is that in most circumstances, these military-connected individuals do not qualify as military dependents as defined by the Department of Defense.
I have been a clinical psychologist for almost 20 years. Nine of those years were as an active duty Air Force (AF) psychologist. Additionally, I have been a military spouse for almost 14 years, with three of those years overlapping with my active duty service. Both roles have their own rewards as well as their own challenges. And (as you can imagine) when you combine the two, things can get a little interesting.
Blended families and military connected families both come with unique challenges. Combine the two and the challenges can be multiplied. When relationships end and children are involved, developing a co-parenting relationship can be challenging. Focusing on the best needs of the children can be difficult for some parents as the emotions and the hurt caused by the end of the relationship can take over.
Blue Star Families (BSF), widely known for initiatives to better understand and support military families, recently launched an extensive diversity effort, the BSF Racial Equity & Inclusion (REI) Initiative. This post provides a brief introduction to one of the BSF REI’s first products, a study of the experiences of service members, Veterans, and families of color. Links to access additional information about the study and the larger BSF REI Initiative are provided.