As part of its efforts to encourage service members, veterans and military families coping with invisible wounds to reach out for available care and support, the Defense Centers of Excellence for Psychological Health and Traumatic Brain Injury’s Real Warriors Campaign provides practical tools, tips and resources for members of the military community. This April, in honor of Month of the Military Child, the campaign will highlight tools and resources available for military families. Military transitions affect the entire family. Talking openly about the challenges and psychological health effects of deployments and reunions helps break down the barriers to care and encourages service members, veterans and their families to reach out for support.
The Real Warriors Campaign website features video profiles of service members, veterans and military families sharing their stories to let all warriors and families know that they are not alone in coping with psychological health concerns. Watch the Military Families video profile to see stories of how service members reintegrated following deployment and get tips on how they helped their children cope with the experience. Military families can also share stories and connect with each other through the campaign’s message boards designated for families. The campaign website also includes several articles that focus on the unique challenges faced by military families, including:
- Part1: Preparing Children for Deployment
- Coordinating Child Care for Military Families
- Helping Toddlers to Preteens Communicate About Changes
Additional materials available on the site include the “Seven Tools to Reinforce Military Family Resilience” brochure, which features tools and resources to promote military family resilience throughout all phases of deployment. This brochure and other campaign materials can be viewed, downloaded and requested directly from the campaign’s online shopping cart. The Real Warriors Campaign wants all of the members of the military community to know that reaching out is a sign of strength. Visit www.realwarriors.net for more information to help service members, veterans and military families cope with invisible wounds, as well as the common challenges of military life. To connect confidentially with a trained health resource consultant at the DCoE Outreach Center 24/7 call 866-966-1020, access the live chat feature or email resources@dcoeoutreach.org.
Military parents can take a comprehensive and free online course on parenting in a military family to learn about several aspects of raising children including positive communication, dealing with difficult emotions and more.
