Holding the Line at Home: Supporting Soldiers and Families Through Deployment

Supporting service members through deployment means standing beside them long before they leave and continuing that support for the families who remain behind.

On deployment days and in the moments leading up to them, our focus is simple: be present, be supportive, and meet each family where they are. Whether it’s at a Town Hall meeting, monthly newsletters to family members, deployment kits for those going out, or homecoming kits for those returning to the barracks; we create spaces where soldiers and their loved ones can spend meaningful time together.

For many, deployment brings a mix of emotions; pride, uncertainty, resilience, and sacrifice all at once. We recognize that no two experiences will ever be the same. Some families arrive ready to stay busy and keep things light, while others carry the weight of the moment more visibly. Our role is to walk alongside them.

One of the most meaningful ways we support families during this time is by creating small moments of comfort and fostering connection before departure. Through simple conversations and a welcoming presence, we help ease what can be an especially heavy day. For children in particular, these moments can make a lasting difference.

That’s where our deployment programming comes in.

Each bear is more than just a stuffed animal, it’s a source of comfort, a memory, and a reminder that even when their parent is far away, they are still close in heart. Often given during deployment events, these bears are tucked into small arms, carried everywhere, and held tightly during the hardest moments. For many children, they become a companion through change and help them feel safe in an uncontrollable time.

Through our “Flat Stanley” program here at the USO, we’ve seen just how powerful a piece of paper can become in a child’s world. Based on the beloved school project, children the departing parent can create their own personalized “Flat Soldier” to stay with their child here at home, while the child sends their solider parent with a “Flat Kid” to “travel” alongside them.

Along the way, these “Flats” becomes more than a craft; they become a connection. Families often receive photos and little updates of their Flat Kid’s adventures, visiting USO centers, traveling through different locations, and being part of small everyday moments. And for the military child, having even a piece of their deployed parent is still right there with them, sharing in home adventures the journey even from far away.

Our support doesn’t end when the buses planes take-off. We continue to stand with families throughout the deployment cycle, offering programs, resources, and a community that understands what they’re going through. Because supporting a deployed service member means supporting the people who hold everything together back home.

Deployments are never easy. But through connection, compassion, and consistent support, we strive to make sure no soldier, or military family has to face it alone.