Counseling Army reservists and their families during Operation Desert Shield/Storm.

The hardships of war affect all members of society. Those most acutely affected are service members and their families. Civilian service personnel mobilized within an active reserve component experience a disruption of life style which can cause stress. Service members are trained to be effective soldiers, but very little training is provided to service members or their families on the wartime stresses they face. The psychiatric army reserve unit based in Minneapolis developed a family support program for three phases of wartime stress: (1) pre-deployment, (2) deployment, and (3) reunification and sustainment. Recommendations are provided for family support in future wartime situations.