The best moment of deployment is reunification!  Check out these tear-jerking videos of soldiers surprising their loved ones. As a military spouse myself, I can assure you that deployment and the weeks after reunification are harder than we let on. For students, you may notice a change in behavior and academic performance. Adults, especially the spouses left behind, may struggle with asking for support. Please don't wait for your staff, teachers, or parents to reach out for help, offer it frequently and possibly persistently depending on your existing relationship. Don't forget, that reunification can be as challenging, if not more, than the deployment itself, so continue to check on your people even after the deployment has ended.

Resources for Military Families and Educators

For more resources, check out MilitaryOneSource. There you will find many products and tools that you as principals and administrators can use to support the military families in your school. They provide access to things like the Sesame Workshop for younger students, ideas for community support, and much more. You will need to create a free account as a citizen/public role to access all the information and resources.