Operation Comfort Cake helps smooth deployment transition

509th Bomb Wing Public Affairs

The Airman and Family Readiness Center hosted Operation Comfort Cake, Jan. 19, for spouses whose sponsors are currently deployed, preparing to deploy, on a remote temporary duty assignment, or have just returned from a deployment.

The seminar provided spouses with information and resources regarding matters such as the emotional cycles of deployment, childcare, house maintenance, finances, and power of attorney to help smoothen transitions and lessen the stresses of deployment.

"We do our best to see that the spouses know exactly where to go if they are in need of help or resources," said Shannon Scott, 509th Force Support Squadron A&FRC staff member. "It’s all about supporting each other during a difficult time and providing them resources to be able to pre-plan and involve their entire family in the process."

Some of the resources available include Give Parents a Break, where specific hours of childcare are given to deployed members’ spouses for each child, assistance with vehicle maintenance and more.

Deployment stress can put a significant toll on spouses psychologically because it can cause feelings of loss, anxiety, anger and resentment, according to some of the spouses who attended.

"Pre-deployment couples might start to argue about little things, subconsciously trying to create distance to reduce the pain of separation," Scott said. "After members return home the family transitions into a new norm because they may have grown as individuals or created new routines. It can take a couple months for things to stabilize and gain a sense of closeness again.

"When it comes to certain chores which are typically shared between the couple, such as cleaning, house maintenance, cooking, vehicle maintenance, supervising children, paying bills and managing finances, it can become an arduous task once a military member suddenly deploys," Scott said.

"Now the spouse must manage the whole of these duties. Operation Comfort Cake provides a place where spouses have an opportunity to share experiences and provide comforting advice to one another so they know they aren’t alone," she said.

"Often times it can be overwhelming, but this is where hearing stories and best practices from other spouses can make a world of difference," Scott said.

The idea of Operation Comfort Cake is to help spouses feel supported and informed when it comes to managing family business while the member is deployed.

"Being a spouse myself, I will be the first to tell you, deployments aren’t easy," Scott said. "However, knowing the resources and support systems available makes a huge difference in the resilience of your family to get through each deployment."