Few things are more challenging than maintaining healthy relationships when you're a soldier. Deployment to an active combat zone means that your partner is left behind, often without much warning or time to prepare for being alone. This can cause significant emotional strain, which can lead to miscommunication between partners once they reunite. Reassignments can also put stressors on a relationship, such as having to move into unfamiliar territory where there may be less support networks. All of these factors contribute to a breakdown in trust within the relationship. But soldiers have various ways of reconstructing trust after relational disruptions caused by deployment or reassignment, such as honesty, transparency, communication, compromise, and understanding.
Honesty
Soldiers must prioritize transparency when it comes to their spouse or partner. It's essential to share everything from day-to-day activities to what happens during deployments/reassignments - even if some details seem minor. Keeping secrets leads to mistrust, and this is especially true when it comes to intimate moments shared with another person. Soldiers should strive for openness so that their partners don't feel like they need to second guess what's going on in their lives. If something is troubling them, they should talk about it instead of bottling up feelings until they explode later down the road.
Transparency
It's equally important for soldiers to practice transparency in terms of finances, social media usage, and other aspects of life. Whenever possible, discuss financial decisions with your partner before making them; otherwise, you risk causing distrust by not sharing your intentions or goals with someone who loves you deeply. Also, keep your social media profiles updated with accurate information to ensure that your partner isn't left wondering why you didn't post anything recently.
Make sure your partner knows about any significant changes in your life (e.g., job changes) so that they can adjust accordingly.
Communication
Communication is key when rebuilding trust after a relationship has been disrupted by deployment/reassignment. This means actively listening to your partner, asking questions to understand where they are coming from, and responding thoughtfully. It also means being honest about your needs and desires, which can be difficult when you've had time apart. But communication helps build mutual understanding between two people and fosters deeper bonds based on honesty and respect. Use "I" statements instead of blaming language ("you always ____").
Compromise
Compromising involves giving up some control over an issue to find common ground with your partner.
If one person wants to spend more time at home while another prefers going out often, compromising might mean spending equal amounts of time doing each activity. Or if one person wants to cook dinner every night while the other would like help occasionally, compromising could involve alternating days. The goal is to meet halfway so that both parties feel heard and valued.
Understanding
It's crucial for soldiers to understand their partners' perspectives - even if those views differ from their own. Acknowledging differences allows couples to work through issues without feeling like they have to give up core beliefs or values. Accepting these viewpoints doesn't mean agreeing; it simply means recognizing that there's value in hearing different points of view. When deployed/reassigned, this can be challenging because military culture tends toward strict adherence to rules and regulations.
Remaining flexible and open-minded helps reconstruct trust after a disruption in relationships caused by deployment/reassignment.
In what ways do soldiers reconstruct trust after relational disruptions caused by deployment or reassignment?
Soldiers may rebuild trust with their loved ones through various strategies such as active listening, effective communication, transparency, understanding, empathy, patience, consistency, and positive affirmations. After a period of adjustment from deployment or relocation, they must learn to be present in the moment and actively engage in healthy interactions with family members and friends.