Step 6: Reunion & Reintegration
Easing the Transition
Resource Finder
Find your local SFPD, WFPC, State Youth Coordinator, Family Readiness Assistant, Family Assistance
Coordinator, Family Assistance Specialist
It may seem surprising, but reunion, like deployment, can be a stressful time. Questions
and concerns of what to expect are mingled with the excitement of seeing your Guard
Member again. With this in mind, the military offers Reunion briefings to both you
and your Guard Member that can assist in this process.
These briefings also cover changes in:
Reunion: Not Just a Single Event
There are several phases that Reunion follows:
- Preparation period, when service members prepare to come home
- "Honeymoon period" lasts several days after the homecoming
- Period of disruption, when some challenges might surface
- Adjustment period, during which new routines, roles, and goals are negotiated
- Acceptance of your "new" life
Getting Back to "Normal"
With all the emotions flying around your home, there are several simple, everyday
actions you can take to help get your home back to "normal".
- Welcome home your Guard member – make it special, include everyone in the activities
of the day or week, but stay flexible and keep your Guard member's transition in
mind, as he/she is just as emotionally overwhelmed as you are.
- Be realistic – Know that separation changes people and their roles. Take the time
to get to know one another again. Enjoy that!
- Be prepared for mixed emotions – Your emotions at Reunion can be extremely strong,
joyful and disenchanted. You simply have to accept that everyone is affected and
you all have work together to get through the emotional rollercoaster ride.
- Don't stop talking or listening – Talk about the Reunion through letters, social
media, phone calls, emails, etc. Chat about what you're doing to prepare for their
return and how you feel about it. Include the kids! Be honest and encourage any
and all questions and feelings.
- Work on relationship issues – Spouses and couples need to rekindle their romance
and get to know each other again without family and friends around. Talk honestly
with each other; let your partner know how you want to grow together again.
Operation R.E.A.D.Y.
This program stands for ‘Resources for Educating About Deployment and You' and offers
Deployment Survival trainings which helps you understand what to expect during the
deployment and offers a checklist to ensure that you are more prepared for the upcoming
separation, as well as the new personal responsibilities.
To learn more about Reunion and Reintegration, please click here to visit our Yellow Ribbon Reintegration Program.
For any specific questions, please contact your your Family Program Office
Strong Bonds
This program is a unit-based, chaplain-led program that helps Warriors and Families
build and maintain strong relationships. The program's mission is to build Warrior
readiness by providing skills the Warrior can use to strengthen his or her marriage
or other relationships; available to Singles, Couples, Family, and Pre/post Deployment.
In order to maximize the training effect, this training is done in a retreat format;
where Warriors and Family members can "get away" in order to focus on
building important relationship skills.
For More information contact CH (MAJ) Quentin Collins and Ch, Maj, Colin Smith:
