Life for military families during deployment can be tough, but when one member of the family returns home, the challenges are not over. Transitioning back is difficult as well, and a camp in Colorado is helping make the process a bit easier, CBS News reports.
Known as Project Sanctuary, the weeklong retreat takes military families to the wilderness of Granby, Colorado. Free from the distractions and stresses of everyday life, every member of the family is able to reconnect in a more peaceful setting. The program was started by Heather Ehle who, as volunteer nurse during the Iraq war, has seen first hand the toll deployment can take on all members of the family.
"A lot of these children have grown up with one parent, having birthdays by Skype," she told the news source. "It's very difficult for them to reunite, to connect."
In addition to offering families a calm setting in which to forge connections, the camp also offers classes on everything from family finances to marriage tips.
Programs such as Project Sanctuary may be partly responsible for the surprising resiliency of military families. The likelihood for divorce among military couples has not risen significantly over the last decade despite the increased deployment due to Iraq and Afghanistan, and is still on par with the civilian population, HealthDay News reports.