Military spouses learn strength for special challenges

WHOLE FAMILY FACES THECHALLENGES OF MILITARYLIFE---NOT JUST THE PERSON INUNIFORM.

REPORTER CRAIG SMITHHAS A SPECIAL VERSION -- OFKGUN9 ON YOUR SIDE'S REBOUNDINITIATIVE -- WITH MORE ON APROGRAM AT DAVIS- MONTHAN TOHELP MILITARY SPOUSES --DEVELOP THE SPECIAL STRENGTHSTHEY NEED.MILITARY LIFE CAN BE FULL OFJOYFUL REUNIONS, BUT BEFORE THEREUNION, CAN COME A DANGEROUSDEPLOYMENT, FAR FROM THEFAMILY, ON THE FAR SIDE OF THEWORLD.

MILITARY FAMILIES FACEFREQUENT MOVES THAT DISRUPTFAMILY ROUTINES, SUPPORTNETWORKS, FRIENDSHIPS, AND ASPOUSE'S ABILITY TO BUILD ASTABLE CAREER.

26:22 "I WASOVERSEAS FOR FIVE YEARS ANDDURING THAT TIME WORKING WASNOT AN AVAILABILITY FOR ME.

ISTAYED AT HOME WITH THECHILDREN, AND I WASN'T ABLE TOGET INTO THE WORKINGENVIRONMENT I EITHER WOULDHAVE NOT BEEN PAID PROPERLY ORI WOULD HAVE BEEN PAYING FORCHILDCARE, SO YOU KNOW I'MFACED WITH CHALLENGES OFUNEMPLOYMENT." 26:44 NOWDAVIS- MONTHAN IS WORKING TOHELP SPOUSES BUILD THERESILIENCY REQUIRED TO THRIVEIN A MILITARY FAMILY.

IT HELPSSTRENGTHEN PROBLEM SOLVING ANDINTERPERSONAL SKILLS;INCLUDING CHALLENGES THAT CANHAPPEN WHEN A SERVICE MEMBERCOMES HOME AND HAS TO ADAPT TOFAMILY ROUTINES THAT DEVELOPEDAND EVOLVED WHEN HE OR SHE WASAWAY ON A LENGTHY DEPLOYMENT.JENN ULRICH LEARNED TO TEACHHER CHILDREN TO ADAPT TOO,LIKE WHEN THEIR DAD RETURNEDFROM SEVEN MONTHS AWAY ANDINSTEAD OF VACATION, THEY ALLWENT INTO A COVID QUARANTINE.40:03 SO AS A PARENT I WASABLE TO SET THEIREXPECTATIONS.

WE WENT OUT ANDPICKED UP BOARD GAMES ANDDIFFERENT ACTIVITIES TO MAKETHINGS EASIER, BUT REALLYBEING ABLE TO CONVEY THESETOOLS TO MY CHILDREN HAVE BEENA HUGE ASSET TO THEM." 40:15D-M HOPES TO EXPAND THE SPOUSERESILIENCY PROGRAM TO THE RESTOF THE AIR FORCE AND THEPEOPLE IN IT, SAY THE LESSONSTHEY'VE LEARNED COULD HELPCIVILIAN FAMILIES TOO.

CRAIGSMITH, KGUN9 ON YOUR SIDEIF YOU HAVE A REBOUND ARIZONA