Caring for America's Children: Military Youth in Time of War

Abstract

1. Keith M. Lemmon, MAJ, MD* 2. Molinda M. Chartrand, LTC, MD† 1. *Director, Military Child & Adolescent Center of Excellence, Adolescent Medicine & Pediatric Faculty at Madigan Army Medical Center; Assistant Professor of Pediatrics, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, Md 2. †Developmental & Behavioral Pediatrician, Spangdahlem Air Base; Assistant Professor of Pediatrics, Uniformed Services Health Services University, Bethesda, Md After completing this article, readers should be able to: 1. Describe the differences between Active Duty and Reserve Component military forces and how these differences may affect the emotional and behavioral well-being of military children and adolescents. 2. Discuss the differences between the service and sacrifice offered by a military service member on behalf of his or her country and the service and sacrifice a military child or adolescent offers in support of the military family member. 3. Explain why civilian pediatricians and other youth-serving professionals may come into contact with military children and adolescents and how they could support the emotional and behavioral health needs of this population more proactively. 4. Recognize some of the emotional and behavioral changes that may occur to military service members as a result of their service in the military and how these changes may affect their children. 5. Characterize the spectrum of stress in military youth. 6. Name three support resources designed specifically to support the emotional and behavioral health needs of military children and adolescents. 7. List three steps pediatricians can take within their practices to provide culturally competent care to military children and adolescents. “If you want to honor a service member, the best way to accomplish this is to honor and support their legacy, their children.” COL Elisabeth Stafford, MD, FAAP, FSAM, Career-long Military Child Advocate, Pediatrician, and Adolescent Medicine Specialist The events of September 11, 2001, clearly altered the lives of most citizens of the United States. However, few have been affected more significantly than military service members and their families. As the United States and its allies near the beginning of the eighth year of the global war on terrorism, the effects of prolonged wartime deployments on military families and children are beginning to be recognized and characterized more fully. Many military children and adolescents …