INTERVIEW 118 |
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Irak Abstract Interview 118 Participant is currently in the Army. He has been deployed four times beginning in 2001: Afghanistan, Iraq, Afghanistan (twice). At the time of the interview he had been married 9 years and had two daughters, ages 3 and 4. The first two deployments were a year each. The second two were about 15 months each and the timeline was more open ended, which made it more difficult. Noted the hardest time for homesickness was around 3-4 months, when you're settled in and you realize you won't be home for a long time. It helps to take mid-tour leave at month 9-10 since the time left when you return to deployment is shorter. Coming back from mid-tour leave is very tough. Both of his daughters were born a month before deployment and each daughter was over a year old when he returned. His older daughter was born shortly before third deployment (05-06). His older daughter rejected him when he returned. It took six months to establish a good relationship with her. This experience was very difficult. Noted it's harder to leave with young children at home. He felt like he had just gotten to know his first daughter when deployed for the fourth time. During his last deployment, his younger daughter had just arrived. His older daughter was dealing with a new sibling and with him leaving again. She would cry on the phone for him to come home. Again, this was very painful. After mid-tour leave she waited by the door for three days wailing for him to return. When he did return at end of deployment, she was very angry and rejected him again. This time it took a month to work through it. When he would leave for work, stateside, she'd hang on him, crying and then yell "I hate you." During last deployment he was afraid to come home because of dealing with his daughter's rejection again. Very eloquent on the price that wives and children pay in the military. During the first deployment communication was very difficult. Now, weekly webcasts help, but the technology doesn't always work. Keeps very busy on deployments. If he thought about home it became very overwhelming and depressive, but he feels family left behind have it tougher. At homecoming he hugs his wife and kids and has a beer. Having a beer makes it seem like home since alcohol is not allowed on deployment. Homecomings are quiet. He won't talk to extended family for the first month other than to tell mom he's returned. He wants to focus on family. Noted it's challenging to learn the home routine. Your wife has been running the show and you both have to adapt. Noted it's hard to relate to civilian population. Can't relate to former civilian friends any more since they're very different. Military families are mission focused and live in tight-knit groups. It's a very different way of living than how civilians live. Now very focused on wife and girls. Learn to live life day-to-day because you don't know what's coming. Focused on making memories with his daughters because he doesn't know when he'll have to leave again. Taken advantage of FTSD counseling from the VA a few time. Very eloquent on how military culture regarding psychological counseling has changed over time. The officers support getting help now, which is new. Thinks some of the changes are because of what happened to the Vietnam vets. Feels the VA is doing a good job helping vets. Keywords: Army; multiple deployments; PTSD; married; young children; rejection by child; grief; cost of war to family Interview 118 1
Object Description
Rating | |
Title | Interview 118 Transcript |
Date of interview | 2010-11-19 |
Date of birth of interviewee | 1980 |
Dates of deployment |
2001-2002 2003-2006 2008-2009 |
Area of deployment |
Afghanistan Iraq |
Branch of Service | Army |
Educational level of interviewee at time of interview | Some college |
Occupation of interviewee at time of interview | US Army Recruiter |
Marital status of interviewee at time of interview | Married |
Number of children of interviewee at time of interview | 2 |
Ages of children of interviewee at time of interview | 3 and 4 |
Subject | Iraq War, 2003-2011--Personal narratives, American; Soldiers--United States--Biography; Afghan War, 2001- --Personal narratives, American |
Index |
Army Multiple deployments PTSD Married Young children Rejection by child Grief Cost of war to family |
Conditions of use | Material subject to copyright law. Please see our complete policies at http://researchguides.gonzaga.edu/uasc/policies |
Description
Title | INTERVIEW 118 |
Date of interview | 2010-11-19 |
Date of birth of interviewee | 1980 |
Dates of deployment |
2001-2002 2003-2006 2008-2009 |
Area of deployment |
Afghanistan Iraq |
Branch of Service | Army |
Educational level of interviewee at time of interview | Some college |
Occupation of interviewee at time of interview | US Army Recruiter |
Marital status of interviewee at time of interview | Married |
Number of children of interviewee at time of interview | 2 |
Ages of children of interviewee at time of interview | 3 and 4 |
Subject | Iraq War, 2003-2011--Personal narratives, American; Soldiers--United States--Biography; Afghan War, 2001- --Personal narratives, American |
Index |
Army Multiple deployments PTSD Married Young children Rejection by child Grief Cost of war to family |
Conditions of use | Material subject to copyright law. Please see our complete policies at http://researchguides.gonzaga.edu/uasc/policies |
Transcript | Irak Abstract Interview 118 Participant is currently in the Army. He has been deployed four times beginning in 2001: Afghanistan, Iraq, Afghanistan (twice). At the time of the interview he had been married 9 years and had two daughters, ages 3 and 4. The first two deployments were a year each. The second two were about 15 months each and the timeline was more open ended, which made it more difficult. Noted the hardest time for homesickness was around 3-4 months, when you're settled in and you realize you won't be home for a long time. It helps to take mid-tour leave at month 9-10 since the time left when you return to deployment is shorter. Coming back from mid-tour leave is very tough. Both of his daughters were born a month before deployment and each daughter was over a year old when he returned. His older daughter was born shortly before third deployment (05-06). His older daughter rejected him when he returned. It took six months to establish a good relationship with her. This experience was very difficult. Noted it's harder to leave with young children at home. He felt like he had just gotten to know his first daughter when deployed for the fourth time. During his last deployment, his younger daughter had just arrived. His older daughter was dealing with a new sibling and with him leaving again. She would cry on the phone for him to come home. Again, this was very painful. After mid-tour leave she waited by the door for three days wailing for him to return. When he did return at end of deployment, she was very angry and rejected him again. This time it took a month to work through it. When he would leave for work, stateside, she'd hang on him, crying and then yell "I hate you." During last deployment he was afraid to come home because of dealing with his daughter's rejection again. Very eloquent on the price that wives and children pay in the military. During the first deployment communication was very difficult. Now, weekly webcasts help, but the technology doesn't always work. Keeps very busy on deployments. If he thought about home it became very overwhelming and depressive, but he feels family left behind have it tougher. At homecoming he hugs his wife and kids and has a beer. Having a beer makes it seem like home since alcohol is not allowed on deployment. Homecomings are quiet. He won't talk to extended family for the first month other than to tell mom he's returned. He wants to focus on family. Noted it's challenging to learn the home routine. Your wife has been running the show and you both have to adapt. Noted it's hard to relate to civilian population. Can't relate to former civilian friends any more since they're very different. Military families are mission focused and live in tight-knit groups. It's a very different way of living than how civilians live. Now very focused on wife and girls. Learn to live life day-to-day because you don't know what's coming. Focused on making memories with his daughters because he doesn't know when he'll have to leave again. Taken advantage of FTSD counseling from the VA a few time. Very eloquent on how military culture regarding psychological counseling has changed over time. The officers support getting help now, which is new. Thinks some of the changes are because of what happened to the Vietnam vets. Feels the VA is doing a good job helping vets. Keywords: Army; multiple deployments; PTSD; married; young children; rejection by child; grief; cost of war to family Interview 118 1 |
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