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FORT STEWART, Ga. – At any given moment, a soldier travels in
three circles – the Unit Life Cycle, the Soldier Life Cycle, and the
Family Life Cycle—as part of the Army's Composite Life Cycle Model.
The CLCM offers a holistic look at hou a soldier's life may be
affected by various transitions – promotions, re-enlistments,
deployments, and family issues – many of which may happen at the
same time.
In the 188th Infantry Brigade, a training brigade
responsible for advising and assisting National Guard and Reserve
soldiers across the United States with training, the ULC spins
rapidly and unceasingly, while the other two cycles fluctuate with
changing circumstances. This inconsistency can burden even the most
seasoned soldiers with unnecessary stress. The Army seeks to provide
as many tools as possible to ease the burden and help soldiers
remain focused on the mission.
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November 4, 2014 - An observer-coach/trainer for 188th Infantry Brigade provides buddy aid to a fallen teammate during a field exercise at Fort Benning, Ga. Regardless of what is going on around them, soldiers often have to take care of the mission at hand. Being a caregiver to aging parents may be one of the many tasks that a soldier has to handle, in addition to be a leader and a warrior. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. 1st Class Stephanie Widemond)
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“In a service that does not always offer the most
comfortable of situations, soldiers adjust and adapt. This
is not always possible,” said Dr. Lois Ricci, American
Association of Retired Persons volunteer. She provided the
brigade with a class on the role of being a caregiver for
aging parents.
“How would you react if you got a
phone call and the person on the other end said, ‘Dad had a
stroke',” Dr. Lois Ricci, an American Association of Retired
Persons volunteer, asked the group. She provided the brigade
with a class on the role of being a caregiver for aging
parents.
According the United States Census Bureau,
1 in 5 Americans will be 60 years of age or older by 2015;
by 2030, the senior population is expected to increase by 71
percent, to 2.1 million from 1.2 million in 2000.
“This seminar provided me with great insight on how to begin
the conversation between my father and sister in providing
for his well-being,” said Sgt. 1st Class Byron Horne, Army
Guard Reserve S1 non-commissioned officer in charge, 188th
Infantry Brigade. He has a father who is leaning on him to
provide care and was not aware of all the resources that
were available to help him in his journey.
“It's not
a comfortable topic, but it something that has to be talked
about,” said Karen Duncan, an intern with AmeriCorps, the
stateside version of Peace Corps. She said that soldiers are
taught to be resilient, but when it comes to caregiving, it
is important for soldiers to know their capabilities and
their capacities.
“It is okay to tell a person that
you are not able to do something. Not everything goes
according to plan; caregiving is anything but controlled.”
This may be a challenge for soldiers who are taught to
lead and take charge to get the mission done.
“I
learned that I cannot have the “take charge” mindset. I have
to be cognizant of the other person, who is still capable of
being independent. I have to step back and make sure the
care plan is still their plan,” said Horne.
Family
members also have the task of being caregivers, taking on
the care of veterans who may have returned from deployment
with serious injuries. A study on military caregivers
conducted last year cited that there are 5.5 million
military caregivers, and 20 percent of those are caring for
someone who has served since Sep. 11, 2001.
“We have
caregivers who are out there barely treading water because
they feel isolated. It is important for them to step back
and go to someone who may know the answers,” said Duncan.
There are several resources online and on Fort Stewart to
assist those who provide care. The Soldier and Family
Assistance Care center near the Warrior Transition campus is
a good place to start. Those who do not have an installation
nearby can go online to the
Veteran's Administration Caregiver or the
National Military Family Association.
However,
providing care is not always about the other person.
“You also have to take care of yourself. You must take care
of yourself because even though your parents are aging, you
are aging, too,” Ricci said.
“I also need to start
thinking about my long term care, because I may be in the
same situation my father is in,” Horne said.
The
three cycles soldiers circumnavigate during the course of
their career may be a challenge to remaining resilient; it
is important to remember that there are resources available
to keep them from treading water.
“There is nothing
wrong with asking for help. It takes a strong person to know
when to ask for help,” said Ricci.
By U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Stephanie Widemond
Provided
through DVIDS
Copyright 2015
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