Return & Reunion
Reunion and the Single Person
Introduction
As a single person, you may have had someone living in your home during your absence. Alternatively, you may have 'moth balled' your home, or perhaps you moved out prior to deploying and will need to find a new home when you return. If you live in barrack or mess accommodation, you might have gained a new roommate during your absence. Regardless of your living situation, one of your first tasks must be to 'put your house in order'. Once you have done this, you will be ready to focus on re-establishing your family and social ties.
Coping with Changes
As you anxiously anticipate returning home, recognise that you will have probably changed in very many subtle ways. You will have made new friends. You will have functioned in living and working environments that may be very different to anything you have previously experienced and perhaps you have taken up new hobbies. You may have experienced a very different culture and environment and, as a consequence, you will probably return home an enriched, but somewhat changed person. If there is a 'significant other' in your life, this person may have also changed during your absence; and change inevitably creates stress and tension. As you adapt to the changes which may be required in your relationships you may experience, over the short-term at least, some worry, frustration, anger, confusion, appetite disturbance, fatigue, mood swings, or sleep difficulties. Usually such difficulties do not last more than 3 or 4 weeks. However, if they do continue you should seek professional help.
Family
Regardless of whether or not you have a 'significant other' in your life, there are no doubt people whom you consider to be family. What does family mean to you? Is family restricted to biological relatives or do you also think of your close friends as family? Will someone you consider to be family be there to greet you when you return? Will you be going home to visit your family of origin? If so, how do you feel about seeing them? What will you talk about? How will you respond to changes that may be taking place within your family? Perhaps a sibling is going through a divorce, or a grandparent has become seriously ill. Be prepared for changes.
Planning
You may feel that nothing is going the way you planned and hoped. However, it is still vital that you make plans, especially for the first few days of your return. If you do not have friends or family who live in the local area, you may be able to make plans with other returning personnel for some sort of activity that is special for you and them. But do remember to telephone home.
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