TRADOC Pam 525-3-7-01 - TRADOC - U.S. Army

TRADOC Pam 525-3-7-01These new conditions will also apply to reserve components. In the future, they will nolonger be a strategic reserve mobilized only in national emergencies. They have assumed the roleof operational reserve employed on a cyclical basisto allow the Army to operate more effectively in the Man has two supreme loyalties - tofuture operating environment. Increased country and to family.... So long asdeployments and family separations will require an their families are safe, they willincreased commitment from employers, Soldiers, defend their country, believing that byand their families. National Guard and Army their sacrifice they are safeguardingReserve families face a unique set of stressorsrelated to comparatively short periods ofpreparation. These families desperately needinformation, not only about deployment but alsofinances, tri-service medical care or TRICARE, (thehealth care program serving active duty servicemembers, retirees, families, survivors, and certainformer spouses worldwide), and social supporttheir families also. But even thebonds of patriotism, discipline, andcomradeship are loosened when thefamily itself is threatened.William Tecumseh ShermanGeneral, United States Army1864resources for military families. Finances may also be a significant source of stress for thesefamilies, as military pay may not match civilian pay. There may also be concern that the servicemember’s job will not be available upon return, despite federal legislation designed to ensure jobprotection for reservists.The unit and the family compete for the Soldier’s time, energy, and emotional commitment.Competing demands of family and the Army may exceed the Soldier’s ability to meetexpectations, and, ultimately, force the Soldier to choose between the two. This tension canaffect family satisfaction with Army life, the Soldier’s decision to remain in the Army, his or herperformance in the unit, and ultimately unit readiness.The Soldier bridges both institutions; the family and the Army. However, today’s Soldiersidentify more strongly with the family than with the Army, “. . . [i]f there is a tug of war betweenthe military and the family, it is the family that usually wins.” 168 The Army therefore mustsupport a culture and an environment where its expectation of the Soldier is consistent with theexpectations of the family. A Soldier’s ability to view his unit and family as complimentaryrather than competitive strengthens the belief that he is an effective Soldier and a good familymember.When unit leaders understand and address family issues in a positive way as a unit concernrather than consider these problems a distraction, enhanced family adjustment, and commitmentto the military can result. Army leaders need to understand the factors known to influence familymember well-being, military life satisfaction, and support of a Soldier’s decision to continuingserving. These factors include length and predictability of duty hours, deployments and familyseparations, permanent change of station moves, unit communication with families, and unitsupport during temporary family crises. The commander can influence many of these factors.160