Deployment Survival | S3 E6

Mary and Jerry discuss how military families can prepare for deployment and readjust when a spouse returns, drawing on Jerry’s four Navy deployments and a demanding year of workups on the USS Enterprise. They emphasize getting paperwork and finances in order (will, power of attorney, SGLI, joint accounts, budgeting), having hard conversations about worst-case scenarios, and maintaining an emergency fund for inevitable breakdowns like appliances and cars.

They share practical ways to stay connected, including videotaping a deployed parent reading children’s books, numbering letters in the pre-internet era, and creating continuity through shared routines like reading the same book and praying together. They highlight the importance of community support, honest communication about roles and chores, getting counseling when needed, and recognizing the challenges of reintegration, especially when the returning spouse tries to take charge or feels disengaged.

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