Chattanooga: Guard, reserve families struggle to find home base

Dawn Morrow never planned for the deployment of her husband to Iraq, never gave thought to how his absence would essentially force her into single parenthood.

Though Charles Morrow has been in the U.S. Army Reserve for years, he was part of a “nondeployable” unit — one designed to provide support stateside while other units fought abroad.

“I didn’t expect him to go anywhere,” Mrs. Morrow said.

But the United States’ reserve and National Guard forces are being drawn upon as never before after continued conflict in the Middle East. Maj. Morrow, who is attached to the Nashville-based 2145th Garrison Support Unit, found himself on his way to Baghdad last January to coordinate rebuilding efforts.

His departure thrust his wife and two boys into a foreign lifestyle that, in Soddy-Daisy — a city more than 100 miles from the nearest active-duty military installation — few people seemed to appreciate fully.

When Jake, now 10, developed serious separation anxiety, and Blake, 7, was diagnosed with depression because of his father’s departure, Mrs. Morrow didn’t know where to turn. She had to take a leave of absence from her full-time job as a nurse at T.C. Thompson Children’s Hospital to seek treatment for her boys.

She leans heavily on support from church and extended family for day-to-day chores around the house, but like many Guard and reserve families across the country, she has learned to be proactive in finding help with the rest.

Military officials are well aware of the unique situation of Guard and reserve families, and they do everything possible to help them adjust to military culture during deployment, said Lt. Col. Joe Hollister, director of family programs for the Tennessee National Guard.

In areas such as Southeast Tennessee and Northwest Georgia, where no military installations are nearby, families are more in need than ever, he said.

“Obviously, if you’re part of an active component at Fort Campbell (Ky.), you’re going to have all the resources and assets you need right there on the base,” Lt. Col. Hollister said. “But we have to work to support the Guard and reserve families to make them aware of the programs we have available.”

That means helping with all kinds of unforeseen circumstances, he said.

Going from a civilian job to the military’s payroll may lead to a reduction in pay but increase in expenses such as babysitting, Lt. Col. Hollister said. It will certainly lead to a change in health insurance, so many Guard and reserve families must familiarize themselves with the military’s benefits system for the first time.

Family resource specialists such as Scott O’Steen, who works at the Chattanooga National Guard Armory, help spread the word.

“Even though we may not have an office right here in Chattanooga, we can hook them up with the right person to help them,” Mr. O’Steen said.

Other resources include the military’s one-stop-shop advice center, Military OneSource, and local agencies and organizations committed to assisting families through discount programs and other special services.

Mrs. Morrow has come to rely on one of those organizations, Our Military Kids, which provides grants that allow children of deployed or injured Guard and reserve members to participate in enrichment activities and receive tutoring. Jake now is able to take drum lessons and Blake takes gymnastics, she said.

The nonprofit Our Military Kids was developed four years ago to recognize the unique sacrifices that families of the Guard and reserve must make, said co-founder and Executive Director Linda Davidson. So far, the organization has given away more than $2 million in grants to about 6,000 children.

“Deployment takes an emotional toll,” Ms. Davidson said. “By keeping the kids involved in extracurricular activities, it helps them to start something new that they can share with their deployed parent rather than focusing on the war itself.”

Thanks to his lessons, Jake has been able to work feverishly at the drums so he can perform “Paradise City” by Guns N’ Roses by the time his father returns in January.

“When he gets home, we’re going to celebrate!” he exclaimed.