CONTINGENCY OPERATING SITE TAJI, Iraq – According to Department of Defense statistics, there were more than 35,000 single parents serving in the U.S. Army in 2008.
For married soldiers, leaving families to go on deployment can be hard. Like their married counterparts, single-parent soldiers must stay ready to deploy when called to serve.
For single parents, there is an added stress of ensuring children are cared for while the parent is away. This challenge not only comes with deployment, but can also be experienced during training exercises, Army schools or long hours at work.
According to Army Command policy, AR 600-20, “Soldiers must arrange for the care of their family members in order to be available for duty when and where the needs of the Army dictate.”
The regulation also mandates that they must have a predetermined plan for the care of their children, long term and short term.
Sgt. 1st Class Casey L. Maxson, a senior supply specialist, with 4th Advise and Assist Brigade, 1st Armored Division, is a single mother who is currently deployed to Iraq in support of Operation New Dawn.
With U.S. troops leaving Iraq, her job is very important. Maxson works in the brigade logistics shop and part of her job is to make sure that soldiers of the 4th Brigade, 1st Armored Div., maintain accountability of all equipment as they transition out of Iraq.
Maxson works long hours every day and has very little time to manage affairs at home. She must depend on others to care for her son, Tyler, who is 5 years old. This is her second deployment to Iraq since he was born.
“The first time I deployed, Tyler was 7 months old,” said Maxson. “It was the hardest thing I have ever done.”
Being away was not the hardest part about the separation from her son. Once they were reunited, there were obstacles that made the reunion difficult.
“He didn’t want to be around me alone at first. He didn’t know who I was,” she said.
But with a little bit of work and time, Maxson was able to rekindle the relationship and form a bond.
“We spent a lot of time together playing and reading. I just wanted him to get to know who I was,” she said.
Now that Tyler is older and able to talk, Maxson can talk to her son on the phone and visit with him on the computer using Skype.
“He is able to have conversations,” said Maxson. “We can talk about special memories and things we have done together and will do together.”
No matter how hard it is to be away from family, soldiers still have a job that must be done. The thousands of single parents who serve their country every day know this very well.
“It’s really hard sometimes,” said Maxson. “But no matter what, you have to do your job.”