Charles Kgosana

Family Stability and International Military Deployments Charles Kgosana

The contemporary militaries incessantly engaged in international deployments. This is a necessity that cannot be ignored,considering the interdependency between countries that characterises global village. However,the members deployed on these missions are family members with crucial responsibilities in their families. The deployments removes them from their family systems,compelling families to cope in their absence. In response,some families close 'ranks',making the separation less disruptive to a family but followed by a difficult reunion. Others leave the 'ranks' open thereby experiencing a difficult separation that is followed by a smooth reunion. Consequently,some soldiers as a result of the inevitable incompatibility,dichotomise the family and the military. Accordingly,they find the military deployments as a threat to their family system. Some end up refusing to participate in international deployments and some resign as a result of such incompatibility. This common situation threat the operational readiness of the military organisations,especially specialists units that have only limited number of the members in respective fields.