information and resources for military families

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When Deployment is Extended

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March 13, 2020
By Karen Pavlicin-Fragnito  Deployment involves uncertainty about many things, including the duration of the separation. Sometimes an assignment is extended, just when a family begins to see the light at the end of the deployment tunnel. An extension for any reason can bring on a host of fresh emotions, worries, even physical symptoms, including exhaustion and pain.  To deal with a deployment extension in a healthy way, find a safe outlet for your initial reaction to the news. Be angry at the situation, but don’t blame individuals, especially your spouse. Service members may feel badly that they won’t be coming home…
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Children and Emotions

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February 5, 2020
Children are especially vulnerable to emotional struggles during deployment. They may not know how to process changes in their family or to express the uncertainty they feel. They also may not know how to talk about their worries for the absent parent. Children may seem a bit restless, often moody and occasionally downright unmanageable when a parent is away. It is important to remember that these behaviors are often the way children express negative feelings like fear, worry, anxiety, and loneliness. Children show us how they are feeling by their actions more than their words so we must pay careful…
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Ten Tips for Reconnecting

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January 30, 2020
Being apart during deployment requires adjustment for military couples, and so does learning to be together again after homecoming. When the end of deployment is in sight, it’s wise to prepare for a time of readjustment and look for intentional ways to reconnect. Karen Pavlicin, author of Surviving Deployment and Life After Deployment, and Corie Weathers, author of Sacred Spaces: My Journey to the Heart of Military Marriage, agree that reconnection requires willingness to move forward after deployment, rather than expecting things to go back to the way they were before deployment. Karen and Corie offer these practical tips for…
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Making Decisions Together

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December 19, 2018
By Lizann Lightfoot So many important life decisions come up during deployment, when spouses are on opposite sides of the world. Many of my husband’s deployments were followed by either reenlistment or a PCS move, so we have discussed many career and housing options while communicating long distance. Once we even bought a house on the East Coast while I was living on the West Coast, and he was deployed to Japan! Making family decisions together during deployment can be especially challenging. There are two ways to handle huge decisions during deployment: go crazy thinking about the possibilities or remain…
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Be Inspired and Reenergized!

Request a deployment/reunion event for your group.

We have exceptional speakers available for keynotes or to lead military family events. All workshops and presentations are customized to meet the needs of the participants/audience.

Karen Pavlicin’s workshops:

“Your dynamic presentation to the unsung heroes of the 10th Mountain Division provided instruction, encouragement and hope at a critical time and will have a major impact on the health and welfare of the Soldiers and families at Fort Drum, NY.”—Command Chaplain Nichols

To arrange an event, contact pr@elvaresa.com

Helpful Books

Terri Barnes collected her best Stars and Stripes columns in her award-winning book Spouse Calls: Messages From a Military Life. Deployment, reunion, moving, motherhood, friendship, and more.

Military Life: Stories and Poems for Children is a collection of original stories and poems that touch on many aspects of military life from a child’s point of view. From moving to making new friends, deployment, homecoming, patriotism, and tender family moments.

Deployment Journal for Spouses: Memories and milestones while my loved one is deployed
by Rachel Robertson is a personal journal for anyone who has a loved one deployed with the military. Gentle journal writing prompts and inspirational sayings guide you through deployment and homecoming.

© 2018 Elva Resa Publishing