Tracy Stephens: Communities can help military families under stress

We’ve all heard it. Stick together everyone; there is strength in numbers. Well, let’s look at this from a different perspective for a moment.

Nearly 2 million children are military-connected; they have at least one parent serving in the military. Many of these children experience day-to-day trauma from wars’ side effects. First, through family separation when a parent is called to combat duty. Then, from consistent exposure to negatively developed behaviors brought home from war, defined as secondary trauma.

For example, aggression, mood disorders, physical and emotional violence, substance abuse and preferred isolation exhibited by the parent tragically change familial dynamics, causing stress for the children. When the children don’t understand what is happening, the stress is magnified, and they may begin to mirror the new negative behaviors.

We don’t see this. Pride and resilience are what most of us choose to see in these children, and we are grateful for their sacrifice.

However, mental health begins to decline in these environments, and socially acceptable coping skills are overridden with stress. Unintentional behaviors form. Unfortunately, some of these behaviors lead the individual directly to jail or prison, which has been established as the largest mental health provider in the country. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, federal, state and local correctional facilities house 2 million inmates.

Are we recognizing strength in numbers yet?

Did you know recent studies reveal that 73 percent of military-connected youth, some as soon as the eighth grade, are at higher risk of drug use beyond adolescent experimentation? Did you know they are twice as likely as their peers to bring a weapon to school because they have more access to weapons? Did you know military-related gangs are on the rise, and this is how our youth are feeling continuity in their lives?

These statistics are based on research done by University of Southern California professor Katherine Sullivan and University of Washington researcher Sarah Reed, who conducted studies (2014) that included Washington families. I am not suggesting that all, or even nearly all, military-connected children experience these same effects from their parents’ service to our country. I am simply advocating for our community to be aware of these issues.

Washington ranks seventh in military population. Spokane is home to more than 21,000 veterans, according to the U.S. Department of Defense. We see many of them every day as we drive through our beautiful city. We are fortunate to live in a strong military community and, for the most part, we feel quite safe from day to day. In fact, our community is full of veteran pride, and we honor those who have served for our safety.

Our military families need our support. You might just be what they have been waiting for. It is not a disservice to inquire with those who you think may be suffering. The Veterans Administration is short of providers at this time, and there are myriad ways to serve our veterans in addition to cheering at parades and driving through decorated cemeteries on Veteran’s Day to honor those who have given everything for us. Veterans need our strong community support. Their families and especially their children need us to be aware of these issues and raise them to top priority within our community.

Stick together everyone, there is strength in numbers!