Waiting on Warriors event helps prepare 3rd BCT spouses for reintegration

Photo By Sgt. 1st Class Mary Katzenberger | Spouses of paratroopers assigned to 2nd Battalion, 505th Parachute Infantry Regiment talk with one another at a restaurant outside of Fort Bragg, N.C., Aug. 6, 2015, during a Waiting on Warriors event. WOW, hosted by Capt. Lukasz J. Willenberg, the battalion's chaplain, was aimed at addressing concerns and questions spouses have about reintegrating with their paratroopers when they redeploy later this year. (U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. Mary S. Katzenberger/Released)  

FAYETTEVILLE, NC, UNITED STATES

08.07.2015

Story by Staff Sgt. Mary Katzenberger 

3rd Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division

FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. – Reintegrating from a deployment can be a challenging time for paratroopers and their families.

In an effort to better prepare families for an upcoming redeployment to Fort Bragg, North Carolina, Capt. Lukasz J. Willenberg, chaplain for 2nd Battalion, 505th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division, hosted a Waiting on Warriors event for spouses at a restaurant in Fayetteville, Aug. 7.

The informal event, attended by more than 20 paratroopers’ spouses, provided a forum for socializing, sharing best practices and discussing concerns about the reintegration process.

Willenberg said he and fellow leaders of the battalion hosted the event because they want to create the best possible reintegration program for families.

"We’re focused on the welfare of our Soldiers, and a key component of that is the health of the family unit," said Capt. Jon D. Degreeff, rear detachment commander of 2nd Battalion, 505th PIR. "Specifically when Soldiers come back, they observe that the family dynamic is a little different - you know both people have grown separately for nine months - so that reunification is a point where we need to [provided guidance] and give suggestion."

After completing an icebreaker exercise and dining, Willenberg facilitated discussions on the spouses’ expectations about redeployment, their strategies for relinquishing some of the control of managing their households and raising their children, the positive aspects of redeployment and what they think their spouses are most looking forward to when they come home to greet their families.

"It’s a big transition period in life when your husband has to go away for a long period of time and when they have to return," said Julie White, spouse of Lt. Col. J.C. White, battalion commander of 2nd Battalion, 505th PIR. "We’ve all fallen into roles with our families and with our own personal situations.

"Today is an opportunity to dispel some worries and fears and say 'everything’s going to be OK,' and to find out if there’s anything [the spouses] are specifically concerned about that we can address from a [family readiness group] standpoint."

• Date Taken: 08.07.2015
• Date Posted: 08.07.2015 15:20
• Story ID: 172506
• Location: FAYETTEVILLE, NC, US