Staying In touch during a Deployment

 

The need for two-way communication continues though you are separated by distance.  We highly encourage everyone who is sending mail that will travel out of the country, (this includes all APO addresses) to use the company’s address as the return address.  This is a high security measure that has been enacted since the Persian Gulf War.  We appreciate your attention to this measure and hope you will encourage everyone whom is sending mail to the deployed soldier to follow these procedures also.

 

Letter Writing:

The following is a guide that may make it easier to communicate through letter writing.

 

Answer all questions.  Write with your spouse’s letter and picture in front of you, as though you are directly speaking with him/her.  Let your spouse know how much you appreciate the letters, tapes, pictures, etc. 

 

Remember that the need to express affection does not diminish with the miles.  “I love you” means just as much when it is written during a deployment as it does when spoken in person.

 

Share your feelings as openly as you can without indulging in self-pity.  Let your spouse know that you would like him/her to share his/her feelings.  Try to communicate the feelings of love and appreciation that you feel.  Let your spouse know how and why you love them.

 

Above all, express yourself clearly so he/she won’t have to think, “I wonder what he/she meant by that?”  On the other hand, don’t try to read between the lines or interpret a puzzling remark.  If you don’t understand, ask questions in your next letter.

 

Some husbands and wives number their letters to eliminate confusion.

Have dad/mom send separate letters to each child in the family.  It will help maintain and strengthen their relationships.  Children love to receive their own mail.

 

Try to send photographs.

 

Let children make tape recordings.

 

Play calendar tag, which involves sending a small fold-over calendar back and forth in letters so the deployed parent and child can take turns marking off days.

 

Tape Recording

If letter writing is difficult for you, consider purchasing a pair of tape recorders so you and your spouse can send “talking” letters.  Younger children can also say, “Hello, Dad/Mom” in their own words.

 

Email

E-mail is probably the most popular method of quick communication. It's very
inexpensive and versatile; however, it can enable bad news to travel at the speed of light.

Be careful of using this method of communication for an emotionally laden message. It's better to compose it, park it for a few hours, review it for clarity and kindness, and then send it. It still can't replace the letter for personal and romantic communication. And remember e-mail is not secure—it can be read by anyone who uses the computer.

 

During some deployments, the unit will be given access to video teleconferencing. There will also be some opportunities to exchange videos of the FRG and videos of spouses at work.