How do military guys cope with being away from your families for long times?

Question

Just wondering how hard you find it being away from your family when on deployment.

I know I would find it really hard. I was in jail for 6 months and looking forward to visits keeps you going - even if they are behind glass.

My first kid was born when I was in jail and I couldn't get out for that and found that really hard. There must be births, marriages and deaths while you're on service.

It must be hard to miss out on all of that.

Answer 1

It's tough. I've missed birthdays, births, and the Army did send me home for a funeral. I remember when letters were used and not all the technology today. Phone calls were hard to get through. With all this technology, computers, Instant Messaging, Video Conferencing, Web Cams, etc.. it's made it a lot easier. It still doesn't fill the void of being there. You just hang in there and do your job, and think of your loved ones back home.

Answer 2

It's very hard. I have been in the military for 5 yrs and on my second deployment. Keeping in touch with family and friends is a must to keep your moral high. This deployment is harder for me because I have a 1 yr old daughter, and I have missed a lot of her devlopment. I get videos and pictures, but its not the same is being there. The technology has gotten better since the my first deployment, we have more phone centers and internet cafes so that we can keep in touch. Sometimes we are able to take our leave for the death of a family member or birth of a child if the misson permits. It's a very hard thing, knowing that you have to be away from your family and sometimes not always a rewarding experience.

Answer 3

When you first get there, it is so overwhelming. The sights, the sounds, the smells, they are all different. Sometimes you can't wait to hear from home. Then you can't bear to think about home. Sometimes you want to write to your family and tell them everything you are going through. Then you realize that you just can't write about some things. You catch yourself thinking that your family would be so proud to see your promotion in Rank. Then you are glad that your loved ones back home didn't have to see what you can't stop seeing. You feel left out of every special day. You try to make the best of the Care Pax and Holiday celebrations.
Then, when it is your turn to fly home, you are as nervous as the day you left your homeland. You look forward to seeing your family. You feel guilty that your Fallen Buddy will never get that chance. You hold on to your tearful loved ones. At the same time you yearn to go back and join ranks with the guys that are still there. They have become a part of you.

I have welcomed home Heroes with tears in my eyes. I have seen the biggest changes in my soldiers. They have sacrificed so much. They have left a small bit of their hearts over there. They have said a final farewell to Heroes.

But coming home and catching up with every moment you have missed, can fill your heart with joy.

Hopefully enough joy to last a lifetime.

Answer 4

My first deployment to Bosnia it was letters and a occasional phone call. My second deployment it was a letter once in a while, a card on a birth day, phone calls, and short web-cam chats. OIF 1 it was hard because it was war for the first few months my wife and kids were scared because they did not here from me in a while. but eventually we had phones and web-cam chats. This last time I had Internet in my room for web-chats and i had a Iraqi NA Cell phone to call home on.
It's a hard thing to deal with but I tell my self that what i am doing is making the world a better place for them to live in. It also helps to thing about how great the reunion we be. It always puts us back in the honey-moon phase!!

Answer 5

I was away (other than 10 day short runs and schools) 13 months (Antarctica), 12 months (Arabian gulf), 6 months (Indian Ocean), 6 months (Mediterranean). Before I was married I was in-country Viet Nam for 12 months. We kept busy...8-12 hours a day(some of my mates worked 12-16 hour days, 7 days a week), 6 and 7 day weeks.
I was in Antarctica in early winter when my youngest was born and didn't see him until he was almost 9 months old.
(USN, retired)

Answer 6

Your right on all accounts. It can be very difficult! The military tries to accommodate when family members pass away, sometimes birth of a child. but its not always possible. And it definitely weighs moral wise on the mind of the service member.

Answer 7

It seems easier today, with email, cell & satelite phones and electronics to keep busy. I depended soley on letters. Comic books, old magazines, cards, checkers and other mundane things to keep mentally busy.
Todays soldier certainly has it easier, although being away in combat, is not at all easy. I applaud all the military for their commitments. SEMPER FI

Answer 8

My hubby is contained in the protection force! he's lengthy gone for all time and soon to be lengthy gone a 365 days and a 1/2 ... i cry alot in the starting up! then i sparkling and that i shed some pounds workout artwork artwork artwork! After awhile the sensation is going away... he replaced into in simple terms lengthy gone for a month and that i replaced into high-quality till week 3 felt like he replaced into lengthy gone for a even as! wish i live to inform the tale this 365 days even as he leaves pray for me anybody

Answer 9

As someone who has been there. What I did was just not think about it. All thinking/worrying about it is going to do is going to distract you. And when your deployed in a combat area, the last thing you want is to not have your head in the game. That's in my opinion one of the top reasons why soldiers are getting injured and killed.

Answer 10

Hi, It is very very hard on us some times. However I seem to have gotten used to it, Video tapes, web cams, letters phone calls, satellite up links, emails it all helps. Every night I go to bed I close my eyes look up at the stars and know my family is looking back at the same stars when they go to sleep and it helps. But my wife and I both volunteered for this profession and because we volunteered for it we accept it. .............Shadow Stalker