title: Life goes on: the experiences of wives of multiply-deployed National Guard soldiers.
abstract: Whether a service member is active duty or part of the National Guard, deployment of these service members is a major issue for most families. There is limited knowledge of the experience of multiple deployments on the family. The purpose of this study was to describe experiences of wives of National Guard soldiers that were deployed more than once. Nine wives were interviewed. An analysis of the interviews revealed four themes: (1) "Life Goes On" (i.e., despite the repeated deployments, life continues at home); (2) the "Guard is a Different Animal" (i.e., life as a National Guard spouse is different from that of an active duty spouse); (3) "It's a Mind-Set" (i.e., how wives cope their husband's deployment); and (4) "Going Back Again" (i.e., wives' experiences of multiple deployments). Exploring how multiple deployments affects wives of National Guard soldiers is helpful in understanding their experiences and the adjustments that must be made in family life. Knowledge of the experiences of these wives may help in formulating more effective interventions with families who have experienced multiple deployments.
authors.affiliation: Washburn University, School of Nursing, Topeka, Kansas 66621, USA. brenda.patzel@washburn.edu
authors.forename: Brenda
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Patzel
authors.forename: Maryellen
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: McBride
authors.forename: Judith
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bunting
authors.forename: Tony
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Anno
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000328:Adult; D001290:Attitude; D006801:Humans; D007406:Interview, Psychological; D008297:Male; D008393:Marriage; D008889:Military Personnel / Q000523:psychology*; D036301:Qualitative Research; D012931:Social Environment; D012944:Social Support; D018454:Spouses / Q000523:psychology*; D014481:United States