Coping With Deployment Anxiety
The big “D.” Deployment- of course! Maybe it’s been looming on the horizon for a while, or maybe you just got that unpleasant “I have some news” phone call from your service member. Pro tip: tell your service member to just cut to the chase when they have news to deliver- ain’t nobody got time for all that anxiety! But on a serious note, a deployment is going to happen sooner or later, or both. News about a deployment may make you feel uneasy and ignite some anxiety- and that’s okay. Here are 3 tips for coping with both the pre-deployment anxiety, and anxiety while your service member is away:
Talk with your service member about what to expect. What day is departure day? What other details can they (safely) tell you in order to help alleviate anxiety caused by the unknown? Do you both have everything in order such as finances, power of attorneys, and any other important documents? How will you plan to spend your time together leading up to the deployment? How often do they want you to send care packages and letters? Will they have cell service often? Asking these questions can help clear the air and set realistic expectations for everyone.
Turn off the news. If you’re an avid watcher of the news- not anymore! Obsessing over the news and current events is bound to only cause more stress and anxiety. And, if you’re relaying those stressors to your service member, it is bound to only stress and worry them more too. Which, they don’t need! Long story short: IF anything devastating were to happen, you will be notified by the military directly. Watching the news will do no one any good!
Know who the point of contact for your service members’ command is. Every unit will have a point of contact, such as a Deployment Readiness Coordinator (DRC) or Ombudsman (same purpose, just a Navy term if your service member will be deploying on a ship). It is important to know who they are and what their contact information is. Any questions or concerns you have can be directed to them, and they do a fabulous job at, well, being a Deployment Readiness Coordinator! Also, if an emergency would arise while they are away, the DRCs/Ombudsmen would be the ones to help facilitate contact with your service members’ Chain of Command, and any further steps that would need to be taken. Talk with your service member for information about who the point of contact will be.