Family support for soldiers: Focus on safety and resilience!

Family support for soldiers: Focus on safety and resilience!

The global security situation has changed dramatically as a result of Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine, which violated international law and began in February 2022. This situation also has a direct impact on the Bundeswehr, which now has five thousand soldiers permanently stationed in Lithuania on NATO's eastern flank. This development brings new challenges for both soldiers and their families.

Dr. Peter Wendl from the Central Institute for Marriage and Family (ZFG) emphasizes the need to address security issues. The affected families are not only confronted with the reality of military operations, but also with worries and uncertainties. Children often ask questions about the safety of their deployed parents and sense the fears that exist within families.

Brochure to Support Military Families

In this context, the ZFG has developed a brochure entitled “Soldiers’ Families in the Transition of Times”. The aim of this handout is to provide affected families with guidance and to strengthen their resilience. Wendl explains that the brochure consists of seven chapters that provide psychologically and pedagogically sound thought and discussion impulses. A central theme of the brochure is dealing with children's concerns about war and dangers.

The brochure was created in cooperation with the Catholic Military Chaplaincy and offers practical instructions for honest communication about the possibility of dying in action. It is crucial to keep the dialogue with the children open but not overwhelming. Parents should be able to talk to their children about the information they receive from the media or from their surroundings.

Psychosocial support and resilience

Against the background of these challenges, the role of psychosocial support becomes clear. This includes measures that counteract emotional, social and mental stress. It aims to provide security, promote well-being and strengthen the ability to overcome challenges such as: resilience-meaning.ch is described.

Psychosocial support has positive effects by reducing emotional and mental exhaustion and strengthening resilience. Studies show that social interactions reduce stress levels and improve emotional regulation. Constructive time together and ongoing communication are essential for the resilience of military families as they promote trust and self-efficacy among individual members.

An important result of the new security policy framework is the need to record and adapt psychosocial support needs. In particular, the availability of information and advice services via the Bundeswehr's psychosocial network is crucial. These networks, including military chaplaincy and family support, provide vital support to military families.

Family resilience, based on reliable decisions within the partnership, binding organizational patterns and successful communication, is seen as a fundamental basis for dealing with the new reality. There remains an urgent need to address family members' fears and concerns in order to create a strong network to support these families in times of crisis. The changed security policy situation requires not only an adjustment of military strategies, but also in-depth consideration of the psychosocial concerns of everyone involved.