CP Links: Military family links
A collection of Web resources for parents in the military and their children, with support, information, and resources.
» Having a parent (or both parents) in the military has the challenges of frequent relocations, interrupted education (and health care), and often the lack of a strong peer group. In addition, the duress parents face when sent to a combat area and the chances that a parent may return with serious injury, or not come back at all, can increase the stress in the child's already unsteady environment. The following links impart some useful information for you and your patients who are children of military families.
> AAP's best practices for dealing with military children:
From the American Academy of Pediatrics.
http://www.aap.org/sections/uniformedservices/deployment/bestpractices.html
> Air Force Crossroads:
With special sections for parents, teens, and relocation.
http://www.afcrossroads.com/
> Army Reserve Child and Youth Services:
Part of the Army Reserve Family Programs.
http://www.arfp.org/skins/cys/cys_home.aspx
> Courage to Care for Me:
A group for parents of military children, to support them during trying times.
http://www.couragetocareforme.org/
> Deployment Support:
From the Deployment Health Clinic Center of Walter Reed Army Medical Center.
http://www.pdhealth.mil/dcs/default.asp
> LIFELines:
For Navy sailors, Marines, and their families.
http://www.lifelines.usmc.mil/lifelines/index.htm
> National Military Families Association:
A group working to educate military families about their rights, benefits, and services.
http://www.nmfa.org/
> Marine Corps' Children, Youth, and Teen programs:
Activities, sports, child care, referral services, and more.
http://www.usmc-mccs.org/cyt/index.cfm
> Military Child Education Coalition:
A nonprofit dedicated to improving the schooling of military children, who often move and lose continuity of education.
http://www.militarychild.org/
> Military Family Research Institute:
Purdue University's outreach organization to study quality of life in military families.
http://www.mfri.purdue.edu/
> Military Homefront:
The Department of Defense's page for "Military Community and Family Policy" program information.
http://www.militaryhomefront.dod.mil/
> Military Onesource:
Provided by the Department of Defense to active duty, Guard and Reserve (regardless of activation status) and their families as a virtual extension of installation services.
http://www.militaryonesource.com/
> Military Youth on the Move:
Specialized info for elementary, middle-school, and high-school kids.
http://apps.mhf.dod.mil/myom
> National Association of Child Care Resources and Referral Agencies's military programs page:
Helping military parents find and afford child care wherever they are.
http://www.naccrra.org/MilitaryPrograms/
