The War at Home: Consequences of Loving a Veteran of the Iraq and Afghanistan Wars

Objective. The experiences of parents, partners, and siblings of Iraq and Afghanistan War veterans were explored, to understand the consequences of repeated deployments on participants’ mental health. Method. Purposive sampling was used. Respondents completed preliminary electronic surveys and participated in one of three focus groups. Results. High levels of relationship and psychological distress exist. Reactions and coping with deployment were split along gender lines, with females reporting anxiety and males reporting avoidance or anger. Veterans returned with significant emotional demands. The need for social and emotional support was identified. Conclusion. Similar to the experiences of spouses of veterans, extended family members are negatively impacted during deployment and reintegration. They are struggling to cope and lack the necessary skills to do so. Attempts at help seeking are unsuccessful. Recommendations include training for clinicians, school counselors and physicians to address the needs of this population, and also development of support groups for families of veterans and the veterans themselves. This research was supported in part by the Sybil Weir and John Galm Endowment Award, San Jose State University and Swords to Plowshares, San Francisco, CA.