Support is seen in many different ways. It is seen as a force that opposes gravity, a company’s assets or liabilities, a psychological feeling of understanding and friendliness toward another person, and people’s feelings about their difficult situations or life.
When it comes to supporting soldiers, sometimes supporting refers to a sense of duty, but in other cases, it is seen as more understanding. The many different meanings of support have one thing in common: when you support a soldier, you try to understand that they are going through difficult times and likely going through some difficulties. You do this because you want the soldier to succeed and return home safely.
Table of Contents
Why Supporting Soldiers Is Important
Depending on the situation, what people do when they support soldiers can vary greatly and can sometimes be surprising. For example, some people may go and talk to them personally or at least send them emails as encouragement or get in touch with their families to say hello. A more hands-off way of shopping support may include donating to veterans or donating to organizations that assist veterans.
In the end, the support is all about understanding what the soldier has gone through and respecting that a soldier is struggling with difficulties at home. What types of support you can offer a soldier depends on what you have to offer effectively.
Pre-deployment: What You Can Do To Support A Soldier Before Deployment
Before a soldier gets deployed, the most important thing to remember is that they are not alone. There are a ton of people who care about that soldiers and will do anything to support them when they return home.Here are some things you can do before the soldier leaves.
- If possible, spend time with the solider to show you care about them and to let them know you care as much as they do.
- Help them prepare for deployment by creating a bucket list of things they can do before and after deployment.
- Be there for them physically or mentally when they come home from deployment. Offer to go out and see their families and their friends or be around them, even if you don’t feel like it.
- If possible, let the soldier know that you are willing to listen if they need help or want to talk about what happened at the end of their deployment.
- Keep in touch with the soldier’s family and friends while deployed.
Post-Deployment: What You Can Do To Support A Soldier After Deployment
The key to supporting a soldier is knowing when and how to provide that support. Supporting is not just about sending money because, in the end, all sorts of support are important for soldiers to return home safely.
All soldiers need help from both civilians and other military personnel to build up mental health and emotional strength after deployment.Here are things you can do after the soldier returns home.
Help With Recovery
Attend their physical or mental health appointments or therapy sessions.These are important because they let the solider know that they are not alone and that someone cares about them as much as they do. It also lets them get equipped with the right resources to help them get back on their feet when they return home.
Be There For The Family
See their families, friends, and loved ones who may be upset by what happened at deployment. This can mean everything to a soldier. They need the support of family and friends too.
Include Soldiers
If you’re participating in activities with others, like sports teams or community service, include them in your group as much as possible. The more they feel included in your group, the less likely they are to suffer PTSD or depression after deployment because they will know that they have people who care about them even when they are away from home for a long time.
Make Time For Them
Be there for them physically or mentally when they come home from deployment. Offer to go out and see their families and friends or be around them, even if you don’t feel like it. To support a soldier well, keep the following in mind. They will need your help and support more than you think when they are at home. Even if they have friends or family who can help them, you can never hurt their relationship by supporting them as much as possible.
Help Them Find A Job
If it is impossible to do all these things, try at least one of them and help the soldier have a safe return home.
If you are interested in giving financial help to a soldier, consider donating to veteran organizations or veteran charities that are well-recognized by the government or local community centers where veterans may be able to receive counseling or rehabilitation for any injuries sustained during deployment.
