Investigating Family Adaptation to Army Life: Exploratory Site Visit Findings

摘要

The purpose of this research was to collect information about family adaptationin Army life. Interviews and focus group discussions were held with 184 participants (i.e., 51 leaders, 28 service providers, and 105 soldiers and spouses). A subsample of soldiers and their spouses also completed a coping resource checklist. The results indicate that families are most concerned about those aspects of Army life that affect their ability to function on a day-to-day basis. Issues of concern are medical care, housing, child care, work hours, moves, and separations. Participants reported that Army leadership must demonstrate an interest and concern for families and they expressed the opinion that the Army wants to retain families that adjust well to Army life. Also, the participants indicated that family adaptation can directly affect readiness and retention. Retention, Readiness, Army family research, Army spouses, Military dependents, Adaptation, Family members. (jg)