An Cosantóir

| 33 www.military.ie THE DEFENCE FORCES MAGAZINE the home front, the better informed that we are, the easier life will be. We need to be considerate of each other and to try to understand each other's experience of deployment. We can achieve this by talking openly and clearly, and by listening and observing. We need to be honest with each other about our fears and our worries, as well as our hopes and our expectations. We should try to plan the deployment. What we will do during our leave, and how we will spend the time when our loved ones return. We should mention important family occasions and milestones that will be missed during the deployment, and how we will cope with them. Planning can give us some certainty about dates and about events. This is particularly important when we are dealing with younger family members. For them, the fewer surprises during the deployment the better. Family means different things to different people, depending on who we are, how our lives have been, and where we are at any point in time. The important thing is that we know who our family is and are determined to care for them as much when we are away, as when we are at home. If you would like to get some more information on how to manage our deployments, please contact your local PSS team. THE PSS AND OVERSEAS DEPLOYMENTS The Personnel Support Service, or PSS, is a critical tool in supporting our personnel and their families throughout the cycle of their deployment. PSS people are a mix of occupational social workers (OSWs), and military people trained as Barrack Personnel Support Officers (BPSSOs). We are available throughout all the formations to support our personnel and their families through each stage of the deployment cycle. Our service is friendly, professional and confidential, and aims to give military people and their families the tools they need to get the most out of life in the Defence Forces The PSS, as an integral part of the support strategy for overseas units, undertakes a mid-tour visit and an end-of-tour visit to each unit. The end-of-tour visit normally takes place within three weeks of Chalk 1. The PSS team will embed with the unit for up to ten days. During this period, the team conducts (redeployment) Stress Debrief workshops, attended by all personnel. We make ourselves available to all personnel for one-to-one informal meetings, for advice/ support/guidance on specific issues affecting the individual. We also provide advice and guidance to the unit commander and staff, regarding issues affecting personnel. The (redeployment) Stress Debrief workshops are conducted over 45 minutes with each group, and they cover a wide area of issues including an interactive discussion, facilitated by PSS team, of positive and negative aspects of the transition back to home environment. We talk about the stressors of transitioning back into the home location/ family environment, and we emphasise physical and mental health, and mental and social well-being. We offer practical advice on dealing with stress, including Box Breathing techniques, and confirm the network of supports available to all DF personnel. A CASE IN POINT As part of this ongoing support a PSS team, consisting of one (1) Staff Officer and two (2) BPSSOs, deployed from 1 Brigade to Lebanon on 06 May 24. This deployment coincided with the deployment of the Advance Party for 124 Inf Bn. In addition to briefings to 123 Inf Bn personnel in UNP 2-45, the PSS team also made short visits to UNP 6-52 (platoon outpost, close to the Blue Line, where some Irish troops are always deployed), and Irish personnel based in Sector West HQ in Camp Shama and UNIFIL HQ in Naqoura. In total, the PSS team provided briefings to 330 personnel over the course of 9 days, in groups of up to 30 personnel. The visit to 123 Inf Bn took place during a particularly busy period for the unit. The operational situation in the mission area remained difficult throughout and most days included some time spent in groundhog in the bunkers. Despite this, morale of unit personnel was remarkably high, and there was always some good conversation and craic to be had! The PSS would like to thank all the personnel of 123 Inf Bn, for engaging positively with our team and for making the visit a very rewarding and successful experience. We would like to particularly thank the commanding officer Lt Col Stephen MacEoin, Comdt Joe Gleeson, Sgt Maj John Kelleher, Comdt Stephen Cooper and S1 staff, and Capt Colum Byrne for all that he did in scheduling the briefs and ensuring that all personnel were given the opportunity to attend. WRAP UP Finally, military life is interesting, demanding and rewarding. Like everything else it has its tough side. By working together, we can mitigate the difficulties and help all of us get the most out of the experience. We remember always, with respect and with honour, those of us who did not come home, or who suffered injuries during deployment overseas, and their families. If anything in this article has caused any distress or has raised any issues that you would like to discuss, please send an email to the author at john.martin@ defenceforces.ie. I would like to remind everyone that the INSPIRE confidential and external counselling service remains available to all members of the Defence Forces, to their spouses and partners, and to all adult children living at home. The Freephone number is 1800 409673, and personnel serving overseas can access the service using 00-353-1- 685-6816. Details on our website www. military.ie/ en/public- information/ defence-forces- families The process of adjusting to home life begins DF Chaplains often offer support to deployed soldiers Brief being given to troops during groundhog by Comdt Connolly, PSS Peacekeeper poster available to serving members or families from DF Info Office PR Br UNIFIL poster available to serving members or families from DF Info Office PR Br

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