Deployment experiences of Guard and Reserve families : : implications for support and retention / / Laura Werber Castaneda [et al.]

• Author: United States. Dept. of Defense. Office of the Secretary of Defense.; Castaneda, Laura Werber.
• TeilnehmendeR: Castaneda, Laura Werber.; United States. Dept. of Defense.; National Defense Research Institute (U.S.)
• Year of Publication: 2008
• Language: English
• Physical Description: 1 online resource (xxix, 337 pages) :; illustrations (some color)
• Notes: "Prepared for the Office of the Secretary of Defense."; "Rand National Defense Institute."

Use of the Reserve Component has steadily increased since the 1990s, but little research has focused on how deployment affects guard and reserve families. This monograph presents the results of interviews with reserve component personnel and spouses, focusing on their deployment experiences and military career intentions. The authors conclude with suggestions on how the Department of Defense can better support guard and reserve families.

Table of Contents

Cover; Preface; Contents; Figures; Tables; Summary; Acknowledgments; Abbreviations; CHAPTER ONE- Introduction; Scope of Research; Methodology; Organization of This Monograph; CHAPTER TWO- What Are the Characteristics of Guard and Reserve Families?; Component-Level Comparisons; Interview Sample Level Comparisons; Discussion; CHAPTER THREE-How Ready Are Guard and Reserve Families?; Defining Family Readiness; Readiness Levels of the Families in Our Study; Military Preparedness; Discussion; CHAPTER FOUR- What Problems Do Guard and Reserve Families Report?; Emotional or Mental Problems

Household Responsibility Problems Children's Issues; Financial and Legal Problems; Employment and Education Problems; Marital Problems; Health Care Problems; No Problems; Discussion; CHAPTER FIVE- What Positives Do Guard and Reserve Families Report?; Family Closeness; Financial Gain; Patriotism, Pride, or Civic Responsibility; Independence, Confidence, or Resilience; Employment and Education; No Positives; Discussion; CHAPTER SIX- How Well Do Guard and Reserve Families Cope?; Defining Coping; How Well Do Families Cope with Deployment?; Which Families Cope Well?; Discussion

CHAPTER SEVEN- What Resources Do Guard and Reserve Families Use During Deployment? Military and Informal Resources; Possible Explanations for Limited Use of Resources; Cross-Leveling and the Resulting Challenges to Family Support; Discussion; CHAPTER EIGHT- How Do Guard and Reserve Families' Retention Plans Differ?; Intentions to Stay Until Retirement Eligibility; The Impact of the Most Recent Activation on Service Member Career Plans; Spouse Opinion Regarding Service Member Career Plans; Discussion; CHAPTER NINE- What Are Guard and Reserve Families' Suggestions for Better Support?

Provide Better or More Information Make Changes to Benefits; Improve Family Support Programs and Resources; Make Changes to Reserve Component Operations; Additional Suggestions; Discussion; CHAPTER TEN- Conclusion and Recommendations; Recommendations; APPENDIX A- Expert Interviews; APPENDIX B- Service Member and Spouse Interviews; References