Military families struggle with stress, anxiety, and loneliness when their loved one is deployed. That's according to a recent report from the U.S. Department of Defense. MPB's Jasmine Ellis spoke with a military family in Mississippi.
Callie Bunter is a mom and military spouse stationed at the Naval Construction Battalion Center in Gulfport. Her husband, Zachary, is in the Navy and has just begun his fourth deployment. She says some of the obstacles she's facing include being the sole caretaker of her daughter, taking care of her disabled mother, and working full-time.
"I have an eight-year-old and she's acting out," said Bunter. "Our family dynamic is different because we go from a two-parent household where we can play good cop, bad cop to Mommy being the bad guy all the time. And I don't have my reinforcement. My husband is normally my reinforcement."
There are just over 37,000 military and civilian personnel in Mississippi. That's according to the U.S. Department of Defense.
Connecting with others is one way that military families can fight isolation when their spouses are deployed says Elizabeth Hall. She's with the American Red Cross.
"I think community is huge," said Hall. "I think being plugged in knowing that you're seen, that you're loved, that you're supported and that we're going to have your back while you're loved one is away is a huge deal. And psychologically that does a lot for a human."
The Red Cross is encouraging military families to ask for help when dealing with a loved one's deployment.
