Everything we experience in life teaches us things that sometimes a classroom can’t, and it’s also like that in the Navy.

It’s tough, yes, but in between the routines, the training, and often the long nights at sea, there is for sure growth that you can take from it. You come out with more than just discipline and skills.

There are a lot of lessons from the Navy 

 — you will walk away with them, and they will stay with you for the rest of your life. Here are a few of the lessons I learned during my time in the Navy.

Lesson 1: Leadership Is Not Just Giving Orders

People often think that leadership in the Navy is all about rank. Having the loudest voice or being the one giving commands. But that is not how it really works.

best leaders are the ones who consistently lead by example

. That is also how it works in the other branches of the military because real leadership is about showing up, especially when it’s inconvenient. It’s stepping forward when things are uncertain, and staying steady when everyone else is looking for direction.

You see it in the small, everyday choices — checking in on someone who’s struggling, giving credit when they deserve it, listening more than you speak, or being willing to admit that sometimes they are also wrong.

True leadership is also about taking care of your people. Not just professionally but also personally. It’s knowing your team’s strengths, understanding their challenges, and making decisions that put the team first before ego.

These habits carry into life, relationships, and careers outside the Navy. The best leaders are the ones who never forget that leadership is not a position but a mindset.

Lesson 2: Teamwork Makes Everything Possible

Nothing happens in the Navy without teamwork. Everything runs on trust and communication. You depend on the person next to you, and they, in turn, depend on you. It’s that simple.

Back home, civilians built this kind of idea that asking for help means you’re weak, and that you have to do everything alone. It’s completely the opposite.

In the Navy, things can go sideways if you don’t speak up or pull your weight. There’s no time for ego. You learn to rely on others, to back them up, and to work like your life depends on it. Because the truth is, sometimes, it does.

That level of support is rare in the civilian world. People often talk past each other, hold back, or just expect too much from themselves at work, in friendships, and even in families.

The beauty of teamwork is that you have someone to rely on, you have someone who has your back. You are not alone. That’s how beautiful life and lessons from the Navy are.

Some of us don’t have patience. We get frustrated easily, rush through things, or try to force results. That doesn’t help when you’re out at sea.

Sometimes, you’re waiting for orders that don’t come for hours. Sometimes, you’re dealing with a teammate who keeps messing up and needs the same thing explained three times. And sometimes, things go wrong for no absolute reason, and there’s nothing you can do except to stay steady and keep going.

It’s easier to lash out, and it’s easier to let all your frustrations out. But the Navy teaches you to hold your ground. You stop reacting to every mistake, and you learn to take a breath, think it through, and figure out what you can control.

Life in the Navy means being smart with your energy. Over time, you stop needing everything to happen in your favor. You became okay with the wait, the mess, the uncertainty, and it’s just the calm that sticks with you.

Lesson 4: Perseverance Comes from Doing the Hard Things

There’s a reason why the Navy training is tough: it is meant to push you, both your body and mind.

You’re cold, tired, and sometimes unsure if you can keep going, but you do. And every time you make it through, you are stronger. Waking up at 0400, finishing drills in the rain, running on no sleep… it does stop being dramatic. It becomes part of your rhythm.

Perseverance isn’t some big motivational thing. It’s quiet. It’s pushing through all of it; you’re still doing your job anyway.

Life outside the Navy throws us curveballs. Plans fall apart. People let you down. So, having perseverance is gold. You’ve trained yourself hard to keep going when it’s tough. And because of it, you can get through almost anything.

Anyone can look strong when life is smooth, 

. These lessons from the Navy don’t fade, but they stick with you. The thing is, you don’t need to serve to live by these lessons. You just have to decide what kind of person you want to be.

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In the hours following the US strikes on Iran’s nuclear capability as part of Operation Midnight Hammer, the Trump administration appears to be sending mixed signals on what may come next. Some within Trump’s inner circle – Vice President JD Vance, SecDef Pete Hegseth, and SecState Marco Rubio – have stated that the official US policy is not to seek regime change in Iran, and that the attacks were focused on ending Iran’s nuclear program and broader security concerns. Trump himself offered a slightly different spin when he posted on Truth Social:

“It’s not politically correct to use the term, ‘Regime Change,’ but if the current Iranian Regime is unable to MAKE IRAN GREAT AGAIN, why wouldn’t there be a Regime change???”

The Iranian government’s initial response to the US attack indicated that regime change is not coming anytime soon. Abdolrahim Mousavi, the new 

, said on Monday morning that the US violated Iran’s sovereignty when it attacked the Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan nuclear sites on Sunday and had, “entered the war clearly and directly.” Mousavi added:

“The criminal US must know that in addition to punishing its illegitimate and aggressive offspring, the hands of Islam’s fighters within the armed forces have been freed to take any action against its interests and military and we will never back down in this regard.”

On Monday evening, the Iranian military quickly responded to the US attack by launching ballistic missiles at the largest and most important US military installation in the region – Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar.

Al Udeid is the host to a forward headquarters of 

 forces, and over 100 operational aircraft.

Initial reports from the Qatari government Qatar’s Defense Ministry said its air defense had successfully intercepted the missile attack on Al-Udeid, and that there were no reported deaths or injuries. According to Qatari officials, Iran gave Qatar advanced warning of the missile attack enabling Qatar to close its airspace to commercial traffic before the attack ensued.

Trump later confirmed that there were no casualties on Truth Social stating, “Iran has officially responded to our Obliteration of their Nuclear Facilities with a very weak response. I am pleased to report that NO Americans were harmed, and hardly any damage was done.”

NBC News reported that US forces were braced for an imminent attack from Iran on other US military sites in Iraq and Bahrain. CNN also reported that US bases in Iraq have also come under attack by Iranian short and long range ballistic missiles.

So, what else might Iran do? Taking a look at the history of this decades-long confrontation may provide some answers.

On Sunday, the Iranian Parliament voted to close the Straits of Hormuz in an attempt to hurt the US economically by forcing a rise in the price of US oil imports and, subsequently, gas prices. The decision to take action to close the straits now rests with Iran’s National Security Council.

Some experts say that Iran’s closing of the straits would be a case of Iran cutting off its nose to spite its face. This move, they say, could end up hurting Iran more than it hurts its intended American target.

If Iran blocks the strait, the country risks turning its neighboring oil producing countries into enemies, and risks hostilities with them. For the moment, Saudi Arabia and the other oil-producing Arab states have been sympathetic to and spoken out in support of Iran. Closing the straits could change their position.

Furthermore, a closure would also provoke Iran’s market in Asia, particularly China, which 

accounts for a majority of Iranian oil exports.

 Iran will likely not want to antagonize China. The US has even asked China to dissuade Iran from closing the straits.

Andrew Bishop, senior partner and global head of policy research at advisory firm Signum Global Advisors, summed up his assessment by saying, “The best strategy [for Iran] would be to rattle Hormuz oil flows just enough to hurt the U.S. via moderate upward price movement, but not enough to provoke a major U.S. response against Iran’s oil production and export capacity.”

The biggest threat posed by Iran closing the Straits of Hormuz is that it sets the stage for a possible engagement between the US and Iranian Navies.

Will the US simply allow Iran to close the straits without a fight? Could an engagement happen “unintentionally?”

 has seized or harassed several commercial ships in the Strait of Hormuz and surrounding waters. Large scale engagements between military vessels have not occurred.

Prior to today’s attack on Al Udeid Air Base, the largest missile attack by Iran on US forces in the region occurred on January 8, 2020 in what Iran called “Operation Martyr Soleimani.”

After the US assassinated Iranian Major General Qasem Soleimani during a diplomatic trip to Iraq on January 3, 2020, the Iranian government sought revenge.

Despite President Trump’s warnings that an Iranian military response would be answered by a US attack on 52 significant Iranian sites, the Iranians retaliated.

On January 8, 2020, the Iranian military launched 16 short range surface-to-surface missiles at US targets in Iraq.

According to a CENTCOM spokesman, 11 missiles hit Al-Asad Air Base in western Iraq, one hit a US base in Erbil. and four missed their targets.

The attack caused extensive damage to the base and 110 US service members suffered Traumatic Brain Injury from concussions due to the blasts. Fortunately, no one was killed in the attacks.

In his first public comments after the Iranian attack, President Trump tweeted, "All is well!," and said that damage assessments were ongoing.

Trump sought to reduce tensions by downplaying the impact of the missile attacks, observing that Iran appeared to be "standing down," and ruled out a direct military response. Furthermore, Trump said he was willing to "embrace peace" and urged greater international cooperation in the region.

Ultimately, the US elected not to respond militarily, instead choosing to place additional economic sanctions on Iran and deploy more air defense systems to US bases in Iraq. Iran also chose to not launch follow-on attacks on US bases in the region.

Trump Announces That Israel & Iran Have Agreed to a Ceasefire

On Monday evening, Trump made an announcement, claiming that Israel and Iran have negotiated a ceasefire. According to Trump, the ceasefire is set to begin with Iran halting its attacks first, and then Israel is set to cease offensive operations in the upcoming hours. 

 to write, "CONGRATULATIONS TO EVERYONE! It has been fully agreed by and between Israel and Iran that there will be a Complete and Total CEASEFIRE." 

In another post Trump said, "This is a War that could have gone on for years, and destroyed the entire Middle East, but it didn't, and never will!"

At this time, there has been no immediate official response from Iran or Israel confirming that they have agreed to ceasefire.

Earlier, it was reported that three Israeli officials had signaled that Israel was looking to stop its strikes on Iran soon, and had communicated this message on Sunday. On Sunday evening, Prime Minister Benjamin Netenyahu said that Israel was, "very, very close to completing" its goals.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates.

DoD Terminates Contract With HomeSafe Alliance After Ongoing Military Household Goods Shipment Shortfalls

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Peak PCS moving season is well underway. As of late, PCSing has been far from easy for military families, as many have reported facing significant issues and hurdles during the current and last PCS season. In light of these ongoing shortfalls, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth directed the U.S. Transportation Command to change how the Global Household Goods contract was being implemented, to help better serve military families. Now, it has been revealed that the DoD has terminated their contract with HomeSafe Alliance as of Wednesday, June 18th. Keep reading to learn more about the expected impact of this substantial change.

Military Families Faced Ongoing Problems Under the New Household Goods Shipment

, a privatized company running the military household goods shipment in cooperation with the Department of Defense, military families experienced a number of issues.

In February of this year, at least 1,000 of the 8,900 shipments initiated under HomeSafe Alliance had experienced problems, according to U.S. Transportation Command.

The issue soon became widespread. On February 28, 2025, a memo was given to pull back some Army shipments to the transportation offices by the Army Personal Property.

This action was done to stop the inefficient and dissatisfied work of private shipments for many years among the affected military families in their permanent change of station.

MyBaseGuide reached out to HomeSafe Alliance in May, and inquired about the changes that they have implemented to address complaints that military families have raised.

A HomeSafe Alliance spokesperson provided the following statement:

HomeSafe Alliance is modernizing, digitizing, and transforming the relocation experience for military members and their families through the new Global Household Goods Contract (GHC). Military families and Congress demanded this historic transformation to address long-standing issues with the old military move system. The new GHC program brings innovative technology to streamline the move process, a 24/7 customer care center to support military families, and strict requirements to ensure accountability and high-quality move services.

In these early and developmental stages of the GHC, logistical challenges have caused delays for some moves. We apologize to every affected family. Over the last month, HomeSafe has made significant progress in strengthening our network, and we continue to pursue every available option for growing our capacity. We are working with U.S. Transportation Command to resolve issues and maintain a conditions-based phase-in of the new program.

HomeSafe is taking all the lessons learned and continually improving our systems and processes, including enhancing our customer care operations, updating our technology platform, reshaping our training program for service providers, and hiring additional employees.

Families Shared Their Negative Moving Experiences

Many families took to social media and online forums to share their poor moving experiences with HomeSafe, 

Some families reported their items being late, and cited that they did not receive adequate assistance to locate their belongings.

Families also went on record to report moving companies not being secured in advance, deliveries not being scheduled as promised, and reported waiting weeks for furniture delivery.

MyBaseGuide followed up with HomeSafe in May regarding the negative shipment experiences that families have experienced. A HomeSafe Alliance spokesperson provided the following statement:

Regardless of how HomeSafe transports household goods, loads must always be properly secured. We hold ourselves and our service providers to the highest standards to protect the household goods of our service members and their families.

In any case where a load was not secured, it does not meet our commitment to quality, and we take swift and appropriate action to address the issue and prevent recurrence.

In our conversations with HomeSafe, we requested their comment on how they were addressing the lack of preparation (ie. lack of supplies and scheduling issues) within the assigned contractors. A HomeSafe Alliance spokesperson provided the following statement:

Regarding our service providers, we grade them based on our Carrier Quality Index (CQI) score, with timeliness and service as primary factors.

For more information on this, please refer to our fact sheet on 

Additionally, we requested a comment on why moving company information is no longer being given to families prior to their move being scheduled. A HomeSafe Alliance spokesperson provided the following statement:

Families can view their assigned service provider through our technology platform HomeSafe Connect, where they can also access details about the moving crew, including photos of the team members who will be handling their move. This feature allows families to familiarize themselves with their moving team in advance.

 on HomeSafe Connect. This video is also available on our customers page on Homesafealliance.com.

A May Memo from Hegseth Directs Transcom to Make Changes

In May, Pete Hegseth requested significant changes be made to improve moving experiences for military families for the upcoming PCS season.

"We're heading into peak season of moving - PCS moving - and that process, I know, has been a mess, and we are addressing it. We have...to take some aggressive action and fast," said Hegseth.

In a memo released on May 20th, 2025, Hegseth directed USTRANSCOM to take the following actions immediately to help support military families during the upcoming 2025 PCS season and beyond:

In the memo, Hegseth called for the GHC and ToS programs to be held accountable for meeting their KPIs (key performance indicators). They are also required to provide weekly updates to the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense and the Office of the USD for Personnel and Readiness.

He also directed that both the GHC and legacy ToS program be leveraged in a way that ensures maximum coverage for moves during the 2025 PCS season.

Hegseth directed that offramp non-serviced GHC customer shipments into the ToS program be based on capacity shortfalls.

He called for the development and implementation of ToS rates to ensure vendor capacity.

Lastly, he called for TRANSCOM to review and implement Economic Price Adjustment provisions in the GHC contract, when appropriate.

In addition to the above directed changes, in the memo, Hegseth directed the formation of a PCS Task Force that would be in charge of improving the quality of moving services provided to servicemembers and their families. Additionally, Hegseth said that they would, "act decisively to improve, expand, terminate, or transfer GHC or ToS responsibilities as needed."

HomeSafe reached out to MyBaseGuide and provided the following statement in regards to Defense Secretary Hegseth's memo release in May.

HomeSafe Alliance is grateful for Defense Secretary Hegseth’s attention to the Global Household Goods Contract and the directives he has issued, which will greatly improve moving experiences for military service members and their families. DoD raising our rates to account for significant inflation from the last four years would substantially benefit our ability to facilitate world-class moving services for our nation’s heroes. We look forward to working with the PCS Task Force to demonstrate how our program modernizes and digitizes the move process and resolves decades-long issues with military relocations.

Hegseth Announces Major PCS Season Changes, Laying Out a Plan

On May 20th, Hegseth addressed the families who had shared their PCS season struggles, noting that while the PCS process has, "never been a great system," recent changes have only made the process worse.

He stated, "We know it's not working, and it's only getting worse. We've heard your concerns about contractor performance, quality, and accountability. We hear you loud and clear, and that's why we're taking decisive action immediately."

In his memo, Hegseth explained that during the 2025 PCS moving season, TRANSCOM should be prepared to fully leverage the new GHC program.

"We're going to split this year's peak moving season between our new and legacy systems. There's a new system we've been trying - it's not working very well - and then there's a legacy system that wasn't perfect...those systems can talk to each other and work together, so we're going to use both in every way possible."

Hegseth then directed TRANSCOM to develop and implement rates similar to the legacy ToS system to increase vendor capacity and ensure that there are enough companies that are willing to move military family household goods.

In the days following Hegseth’s announcement, many movers and military families applauded Hegseth for taking a leadership stance on this critical issue.

One such individual was Dan Hilton, the executive director of the American Trucking Association's Moving and Storage Council.

He released a statement saying, "As we have said from the beginning, the tender of service program worked in the past and continues to work well for service members, despite the challenging environment now created by the failures of the GHC contractor. We’ve continually seen shipments moved from the GHC contractor back into the tender program with minimal notice, reduced compensation, and already impacted service members.”

“It’s imperative that TRANSCOM better engage members of the industry with actual capacity to find solutions that best meet our service members’ needs. We look forward to mitigating any further decline in service provided to our nation's valiant service members and working with the Secretary’s team to help right this ship on behalf of our men and women in uniform.”

Others applauded Hegseth for holding contractors accountable for damaging or destroying household goods, and for standing up for service members. You can watch the 

Army Maj Gen. Lance Curtis Will Lead the PCS Joint Task Force

On June 18, Defense Secretary Hegseth named 

 to lead the PCS Joint Task Force. According to Secretary Hegseth, the new task force has the authority to decisively act and make immediate improvements to the DoD Personal Property Program.

Here’s what we know about the new PCS Joint Task Force leader.

Major General Curtis is from Warrensburg, Missouri. After graduating from The University of Missouri with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in International Relations, he was commissioned through ROTC.

He has a MA in Management from Webster University and a MS in National Security and Resource Strategy from the National Defense University.

His military schooling includes: the Officer’s Basic and Advanced Courses, the Combined Arms and Services Staff School, the US Army Command and General Staff College, and the Dwight D. Eisenhower School for National Security and Resource Strategy Senior Service College.

He previously served as the US Forces Command Deputy Chief of Staff, G4.

DoD Terminates HomeSafe Alliance for “Inability to Fulfill Their Obligations”

On Wednesday, the Department of Defense terminated the DoD contractor, HomeSafe Alliance, for cause due to their demonstrated inability to fulfill their obligations and deliver high quality moves.

 said in a release that the DoD terminated HomeSafe Alliance, “for cause due to HomeSafe Alliance’s inability to fulfill their obligations and deliver high quality moves to service members.”

In response to this announcement, the DoD has put several changes into effect to address the current issues families are experiencing this PCS season. Household goods moves are to be handled within the legacy “Tender of Service” system. Another change is that those who choose to move their own household goods via the PPMs process will be reimbursed at an increased rate.

As it currently stands, the Joint Task Force is reviewing the entire PCS process to identify additional actions to make the moving experience better for families during the current PCS season. The most recent memo discussing these changes can be 

The Contract Termination Has Left Military Families With Many Questions

The announcement of the contract termination has left many military families with questions, especially those who are in the midst of scheduled moves. 

What Should You Do If Your Family’s Household Goods Are Already In Route?

HomeSafe Alliance’s contract is canceled for future moves, but they should be continuing those shipments that are in motion.

They also will still be required to handle the claims process after shipments are delivered. 

If you have questions about claims or need help, reach out to your installation's 

What Should You Do If Your Family Is Moving This Summer?

If you are scheduled to move this summer, you can contact your 

 for moving assistance. You will most likely want to start here. You can also contact the Personal Property System Response Center at 800-462-2176.

The Defense Personal Property System has already been coordinating switching moves for military families who had challenges with their scheduled move with HomeSafe Alliance.

Military families in need of additional resources and information about conducting their move through the Tender of Service program on the Moving Your Personal Property page on

What Does the Future of Military Moves Look Like?

General Curtis will be handing PCS moves moving forward, as the new lead of the PCS Joint Task Force. Many families are hopeful that he will take the time to talk with military families about their experiences. Over the next few months, the task force will be working to rectify the issues that families have voiced.

At this time, there is no clear understanding of how Personally Procured Moves (PPMs) will be impacted. The 

 that they are pulling back PPMs to DPS. Other services may follow suit, but there has not been an official release of plans.

It is important to note that if you are moving this summer, as soon as you get your orders, it is recommended that you contact your transportation office, especially if you are doing a military contract move as many places are already at capacity.

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In an increasingly uncertain world with tensions rising between the USA and both Iran and China, it sometimes seems like the USA is, once again, on the brink of a major military operation. Of course, military members strive to maintain a constant state of preparedness for any task from small to large. It’s their job. However, while the services go to great lengths to provide support for military family members in both peacetime and war, it’s also important that military members and their families ensure that they prepare themselves for war.

This article will provide a short, and certainly not all-inclusive, look at the things military families should be considering with war looming. It’s easy to get complacent, but now is not that time. In fact, for military families, it’s never that time.

In April 2025, John Noh, the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Indo-Pacific Security Affairs, said that Chinese President Xi Jingping told his People’s Liberation Army (PLA) to prepare for a potential invasion of Taiwan in 2027.

Noh added that China aims to dominate the Indo-Pacific region and replace the USA as the world’s dominant military power. Admiral Samuel Paparo, Commander of

 cited a 300% increase in PLA activity in the vicinity of Taiwan in 2024 and said the USA must respond to this increasing threat by deploying combat-ready forces to the region.

Air Force Secretary Frank Kendal put it very succinctly when he said, “China is not a future threat. It is a threat today.”

On the heels of an alarming February 2025 International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) report, President Trump sent a letter to Iranian leadership giving them a two month deadline to engage in negotiations with the USA to reach agreement on a new nuclear deal.

The IAEA report stated that Iran has increased its stockpile of Uranium-235 enriched to 60% and have moved precariously close to the 90% purity required to build nuclear weapons.

While President Trump has not specifically defined his objectives for the negotiation, National Security Advisor Michael Waltz suggested that the United States will press for Iran to dismantle its entire nuclear program. After Iranian officials initially implied that they would not negotiate directly with the USA, President Trump replied, “I hope you’re going to negotiate because if we have to go in militarily it’s going to be a terrible thing.”

Pentagon’s Fiscal Year 2026 budget proposal

, the largest peacetime budget in US history, shows that the DoD is ready to back up the administration’s words with action.

President Trump has said that his patience with Iran has “already run out,” but declined to say whether he has made a decision on US military intervention as the Israel-Iran conflict continues to escalate.

"I may do it, I may not do it...nothing is finished until it is finished," Trump told reporters when he was asked about the U.S. taking part in the strikes on Iran's nuclear and military facilities.

On June 18, Trump was asked whether he believes that the US is moving closer to 

Trump responded, “Well I obviously can’t say that, right? You don’t seriously think I’m going to answer that question. You don’t know that I’m even going to do it. I may do it. I may not do it. Nobody knows what I’m going to do. I can tell you this, that Iran’s got a lot of trouble, and they want to negotiate.”

President Trump went on to say that Iran still wants to negotiate with the U.S., and even proposed 

. Trump stressed that "nothing is too late" when it comes to diplomacy. 

However, he did say that it is "very late to be talking" and that "there is a big difference between now and a week ago."

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu pressed Trump’s position when he ordered an attack on Iran’s military leadership, nuclear scientists, and nuclear facilities. 

Iran responded less than 24 hours later by launching up to 100 ballistic missiles at Israel, most of which were intercepted by 

air and missile defense system. Several exchanges between the two combatants continued over the next six days. 

After initially denying any involvement in the Israeli strikes, the Trump administration has been somewhat coy about whether or not the US has or will support Israel by attacking Iran itself. 

On the other side of the conflict, Iran has been equally vague about whether it would strike US military targets in the region. In either event, the US will increase its preparedness to the maximum level, and any Iranian move against US forces will likely result in a significant response.

All deployment can create stress whether they are to a combat location or not. Just the simple idea of being separated for a long period of time can create intense family stress.

A deployment to a combat location where the military member may be subjected to physical risk significantly amplifies that stress. What are some things a military family can do to prepare themselves?

Fear of the unknown is a big factor in creating family stress. It may be difficult or impossible for a military member to discuss details about their deployment, particularly for a combat deployment.

To the best extent possible, try to keep your family informed about things like:

Contacting the Red Cross during an emergency

Before the military member leaves, they should talk to their family members about how frequently they can expect to talk with you. This may help relieve anxiety if the military member isn’t able to speak with them for a while.

Talking about other forms of communication outside of phone calls or internet applications can also be helpful since the military member may be more reachable through other methods such as care packages or letters.

When phone and internet access is limited, these forms of communication can help family members and friends stay in touch with the military member.

Finances can present a significant source of stress for the family when the military member is deployed.

There can be significant concerns about how bills are going to be paid, especially if the military member is usually responsible for managing the finances and ensuring bills are paid on time.

Before the military member deploys, they should ensure that their partner has access to all accounts and knows when each bill should be paid. Taking care of the family’s financial situation and obligations before deployment can take stress off the family’s shoulders.

If there are children who require childcare, the family will want to take care of childcare arrangements before deployment. If the dependent spouse works, then the family may need to rely on family members, daycare, or babysitters to take care of the children when no one is home.

If the dependent spouse doesn’t work, find resources for their support in case things become overwhelming. A good place to start is within a unit’s spouses network or elsewhere within the military community.

Even if all of the aforementioned logistical steps are handled, deployments can still have a major impact on loved ones. Encourage them to find methods for dealing with your time apart, such as:

Talking with others who’ve been at home during a deployment

There will be an adjustment period after the military member returns home, especially after they’ve been gone for months – or even longer in the event of a combat deployment.

The military member must readjust to their old routine, and, conversely, the family must get used to having the military member back in their lives after having adjusted to being apart.

All family members must practice patience while everyone adjusts. Spend time focusing on the good things about the military member’s return rather than the challenges you are experiencing.

Try to spend meaningful time together as a family and with friends so you can reconnect with them and reestablish your bond. This re-connection will be particularly important if the military member has personally suffered or witnessed tragedy during their combat deployment.

In this case, it’s extremely important that the military member works with military mental health professionals who can help them deal with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and other mental trauma.

While these steps were tailored to a combat deployment, they can be used for any type of deployment. Family separation will always come with challenges. Being prepared can alleviate much of that stress.

Israel Attacks Iran Without US Support and Iran Responds – What Comes Next?

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At the end of WWII, the US helped Japan draft its new constitution, a constitution that was intended to prevent Japan from ever again becoming a military power. In the years that followed, Japan built one of the world’s most technologically advanced ground, air, and maritime military forces all in the name of self defense. To this day, that pacifist principle, expressed in 

, is deeply embedded in Japanese culture and its foreign policy.

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