The Military Child in Hawaii Study
Robert Wm. Blum MD MPH PhD
Lynne Michael Blum MS PhD
M.E. Hughes MA PhD
Kristin Mmari MA DrPH
Acknowledgements
• Jenita Parekh
• Daesha Ramacharian
Study Objectives
1) To document youth and parental perceptions of
education in Hawaii and possible contributing factors such
as living in Hawaii, and issues of transition to new school
and living environments and deployment;
2) To explore how attitudes, concerns and perceptions
change over time;
3) To identify the consequences of living and being
schooled in Hawaii after families leave this assignment;
4) To provide policy and programmatic guidance to assure
that military families experience a positive tour of duty in
Hawaii.
Study Parameters
• A contract not a grant
• A census not a sample
• Active duty military
• All branches of service
• Sample restricted to Oahu
• Children ages 10-18 for quantitative and 8-18 for
qualitative data collection
• Web-based data collection (www.hawaiikids.org)
Sources of Data
• Parent cross-sectional survey data (n=1479)
• Parent longitudinal survey data - two surveys completed
approximately a year apart (n=117)
• Parent focus group data (31 focus groups 2010-2012)
• Child cross-sectional survey data (n=180)
• Child focus group data (22 focus groups 2010-2012)
Construction of PACOM Samples
Women
Branch
Men
Military Civilian Military Civilian
Total
Air Force
28
90
36
2
156
Army
115
348
315
9
787
Coast Guard
8
26
24
0
58
Marines
17
66
95
2
180
Navy
49
129
109
3
290
Total
217
659
579
16
1471
Parent Cross Section
7
Educational Level of Parent Respondents
Less Than High School
1%
High School Grad
25%
2 Years College or Tech School
24%
4 Years College
27%
Graduate Degree
23%
Parent Cross Section
N=1479
8
Hawaii and the Military
This Is What They Expect
10
View of Non Military Hawaiians
• Military is a closed group of mainlanders behind “the
gate” (aka the base or installation).
• Military are elitist with entitlements not available to locals
(e.g., cheaper food and clothing).
• Creates a culture of “haves” and “have nots”
Not Like a Tropical Paradise
Major or Significant Challenge
Traffic
59%
Quality of Affordable Housing
56%
Cost of Living
66%
Parent Cross Section
N = 1436
12
Stressors: Traffic
…my husband would spend about four hours a
day in traffic. And he had to leave the house
around four to get to work by seven. Where we
lived: it was 22 miles from driveway to parking
spot…. He had to leave at four in the morning to
get there in time. And if he didn't leave base by
3:30, he wasn't getting home till after six
13
Being the Outsiders
Major or Significant Challenge
Experiences of Prejudice and Racism
26%
Parent Cross Section
N = 1436
14
Prejudice and Racism
The teachers are very accepting of racism and
said it was just the way things were in Hawaii.
They allowed the children to openly call my son
‘white boy’ and allowed students to physically
touch my daughter’s skin and hair….
15
Isolation vs Integration
Loss of Social Connections
Major or Significant Challenge
Social Isolation
30%
Distance from Extended Family
52%
Parent Cross Section
N = 1461
17
Children’s Perspectives
Major or Significant Challenge
Missing Family
65%
Missing Life on Mainland
52%
Parent Deployment
40%
Child Cross Section
N = 180
18
Residential Segregation
Where Does Family Live?
Private House in Community
34%
Military Housing Neighborhood
23%
On Base
44%
Parent Cross Section, Year 1 Only
N=919
19
Community of Affiliation
Feelings About Connection to Military Community
Very satisfied
38%
Somewhat satisfied
44%
Little or not satisfied
19%
Parent Cross Section
N= 1447
20
Perceptions of Local Community
To What Extent Are People in Hawaii Welcoming?
More than other places
28%
About the same as other places
51%
Less than other places
21%
Parent Cross Section
N=1478
21
Perceptions of Local Community
How Supportive Are People In Hawaii
of You Being In the Military?
Not very supportive
21%
Somewhat supportive
55%
Very supportive
24%
Parent Cross Section, Year 1 Asked of Military Members Only
N=969
22
Community Engagement
Respondent Is Involved In
At Least One Community Activity
50%
School Volunteers (3+ Times Last Year)
33%
Parent Cross Section, Volunteer Question Year 2 Only
N=1479 (565)
23
Perceived Barriers
Major or Significant Challenge
Cultural differences
18%
Language and slang people use
16%
N=1469
24
Strongly Agree or Agree That
Child experiences prejudice and
discrimination due to military affiliation
15%
Child experiences prejudice and
discrimination due to racial and cultural
background
18%
Students in child’s school treat each other
with respect
41%
Parent Cross Section
N= 1253
25
Adaptation to Hawaii: Colonialist or
Integrationist Perspectives
26
Colonialist and Integrationist Perspectives
• Colonialists have a pejorative view of the locals and the
public schools.
• They tend to be isolationist with half of military reporting
that they do not engage the community beyond the
military compound.
• They view locals as either simple minded or lazy.
27
Colonialist Perspective
These schools mirror the culture of Hawaii. And you
have the teachers and the administrators who reflect
the Hawaiian culture, in which education is not a
priority and when you talk about fixing it, you're going
to bring in a group of leaders who all have that same
culture: ‘Okay, okay, got it, yep, no worries.’ And they're
going to go right back and do what they did. Because
who holds the standard? Because we're not in the
business of education, we can't hold them to that
standard.
Military Parent
28
Colonialist Perspective
They pick on us because we are smart and they are
jealous, they come from poor, bad families and don’t
care about school. I also think that they are jealous
because we are teachers to them.
Child in Military Family
29
The Other View: Integrationist
• They see themselves as guests in a foreign culture.
• They want to learn about the culture and to engage with
the customs.
• They seek opportunities to get to know and become part
of the Hawaii experience.
Integrationist perspective
We’re all transplants here, and I find it’s very
difficult for kids who live here, to include my son
but even for me. And the only way I have begun
to understand it is to remove myself from the
military culture and go to work all day in the
local culture, and the longer I’m here, I’m much
more accepted….
31
Integrationist Perspective
When people come from the mainland and don’t
immerse themselves in the culture, they’re going
to have problems
32
Integrationist perspective
You just have to live it. You have to be part of the
community. It’s not a learned thing. You have to
experience it. I would be very afraid too, if I’m
put in a situation where I don’t know the culture,
the language. But at the same time, it’s good to
see it from the other perspective, and see that
it’s not all that bad.
33
Integrationist perspective is important for
coping…
• Having such a perspective promotes community/local
engagement – which then fosters a sense of ‘acceptance’
• This perspective helps families engage in new experiences
and learning about the culture that promotes a positive
attitudes towards living in Hawaii… despite the stressors
I mean, every place is going to have its issues. Here,
there’s so much to do outside. We try and pick something
to do almost every weekend – do something new that we
haven’t tried before.. My son just loves it here – never
wants to move.
34
… but social isolation has perceived
advantages
I like that I’m surrounded by people who I can either relate
to or communicate with, who understand what I’m going
through, and what we do. It’s the camaraderie
I think it’s better for the kids {to live on base}. When we did,
it didn’t phase them when dad came and went because
everyone had a member, a dad or mom, who was gone.
Then, we moved into this community, and the kids would
come up to my kids and were like, ‘when is your dad going
to go?’ Oh, you poor kids. And, even for us, they just kind of
swarmed us. The kids realized, oh, this doesn’t happen to
everyone – and they then start thinking about the down
sides of deployment.
Education
School is where all camps meet
• Children must attend public school; no military schools.
• Different perspectives become apparent when the
children are not happy in the schools.
• Blame falls on the school for not helping the children
adjust and feel welcome.
Dissatisfied With
Quality of education in Hawaii
48%
How child treated by teachers
16%
How child treated by classmates
17%
Parent Cross Section
N= 1264
38
Parents’ Opinions – Child in Public School
Strongly
Disagree/
Disagree
Strongly
Agree/
Agree
Teachers are well qualified
286 (25%) 430 (38%)
My child is learning grade
appropriate information
424 (38%)
490 (43%)
My child is challenged
547 (49%)
377 (34%)
Parent Cross Section
N=1264
39
Education: One of the Main Stressors
I feel like I failed my children because I didn’t
listen. People told me, ‘the school system is
difficult.’ And, I kept telling myself, ‘my kids are
really strong in school, they’re independent.’
Now, I see my kids are totally different children –
and because of that – I have to figure out if I
send them back to mainland so at least they can
catch up.
40
Education: Affects More than a Child’s
Academics
If your kids are not in a school where they are
doing well – it affects the military member who
is getting ready to deploy. Even for my family,
when my son was diagnosed with dyslexia, my
husband was already gone. So, that whole year
while he was deployed, I had to fight with the
school system, and then he felt terrible because
he wasn’t here to fight with me.
41
Creating DoD Schools is not
a viable alternative.
42
Deployment
Who in Family Has Ever Been Deployed?
Respondent
480
38%
Spouse
475
38%
Respondent and Spouse
29
2%
Neither
268
21%
Parent Cross Section
N = 1252
44
Number of Deployments
1
208
21%
2
233
24%
3
206
21%
4 or more
331
34%
Parent Cross Section
N=978
45
How Likely To Be Deployed Again?
Certain
165
17%
Highly Likely
159
16%
50-50 chance
174
18%
Unlikely
275
28%
Definitely not
116
12%
Don’t know
86
9%
Parent Cross Section
N=975
46
Consequences of Deployment for Military Member
Injury
11
16%
Injury + Psych Problems
13
18%
Psychological Problems
51
28%
None Reported
400
12%
Parent Cross Section, Civilians with Ever-Deployed Spouses
N=475
47
Consequences of Deployment for Family
Made us more religious
80
17%
Created financial stress
42
9%
Made us stronger/closer
289
61%
Harder to get along
60
13%
Separation or divorce
more likely
Don’t know
29
6%
86
9%
Parent Cross Section, Civilians with Ever-Deployed Spouses
N=475
48
Deployment Effects on Child: Depression
Symptoms Usual or Less than Usual
229
56%
Symptoms More than Usual
181
44%
Parent Cross Section, Civilians with Ever-Deployed Spouses
N=410
49
The Cycle of Deployment
50
Worst Part of Deployment for Self/Family
Before
98
23
During
213
50
Reunion
72
17
Redeployment
39
9
Parent Cross Section, Civilians with Ever-Deployed Spouses
N=475
51
Specific ‘weeks’ of deployment that are
difficult:
“Week 3 is most difficult. Week 3 is when you
realize that it’s no longer just a local operation….
Up until then, because our husbands all do
weekly ops, they can be out for 10 days, two
weeks – and that is normal. Week 3 is when it’s
‘this is deployment.’ (military spouse)
Specific weeks of deployment that are
difficult:
“Actually, my husband already left at the
beginning of this week, but they are pulling in
today just for two hours to refuel. He knows the
girls have off school and he asked me to bring
them down to see him… I said , ‘No, they are done
with you, you are gone. They have said their
goodbyes and have worked through this. You are
going to kill me if I have to go through that again.”
(military spouse)
Pre-deployment
For me, it’s hardest in the first two or three weeks
before you leave, because you’re going through
that anxiety. You know you’re leaving and, of
course, we’re able to mostly detach or start that
process, but the kids don’t really sense it until
we’re gone. (military parent)
Reunion
“I don’t like it when my dad gets back, he does a
lot of cussing. He cusses all the time, and I think
he got used to it during deployment. It usually
takes him about 6 months after he gets back
from the war to stop.” (military child)
Reunion
“Well, and then if they’re gone for a year –
they are different and you’re different, and the
kids are different. I mean, my youngest is 5
and in the last 4 years, he has been gone 2 and
½ years. She doesn’t know him. And you come
into this new family, that now everyone has to
figure out their way again.” (military spouse)
\
Getting used to deployment…?
“You become accustomed to figuring out a
routine and you figure out how to live life
without dad…”
“You may establish habits, you may establish
your way of dealing with it, but I would hope
that a family would make it a goal that you
don’t get used to it, because that would mean
that your spouse who’s deploying is not a part
of your family.”
What helps families ‘prepare’ for
deployment?
A few military spouses mentioned that it’s better when they
don’t have to plan:
The deployment part is easier when it’s just a couple of
days notice because I’m not planning, I’m not cleaning the
house, I’m not washing his laundry. We don’t have
enough time to fight before he goes.
I’ve always said my perfect deployment would be one
where he calls me in the morning and says, ‘I forgot,
we’re leaving today.’ Because it’s a torturous thing when
the countdown begins.. ‘this is the last Tuesday night
we’re having spaghetti’, etc.
Worst Part of Deployment: Child
Before
34
8%
During
305
73%
Reunion
46
11%
Redeployment
30
7%
Parent Cross Section, Civilians with Ever-Deployed Spouses
N=475
59
Different responses for different children
My son has been quite accustomed to Daddy just always coming
and going and I really don’t feel deployment has affected him that
much, as he’s very self-motivated. My daughter – completely
different situation. This is her 1st deployment in this school, and she
doesn’t want to go; she doesn’t want to leave me alone.” (military
parent)
I think it’s age-dependent, and personality, and where you are in the
family line-up. My oldest son goes into responsibility mode, focused,
and does well in school because Dad might find out about it. The
youngest is more emotional and she does more fighting with her
brothers. (military parent)
Deployment means added responsibilities for
kids:
I get sad when my dad’s gone. I was sad that I
couldn’t see my dad after school. I also have to
watch my little brother and sister and I can’t go
and do anything with my friends. I can get
angry over that. (military child)
The Absence
When your parents are gone for so long and then
they’ll leave and you’ll be like 12 and then they
come back and you’re like 14 and you have
changed so much and you don’t really like know
them because you kind of forget little things about
them and they don’t know you because you have
grown up.
(student, army base)
62
Reentry
As much as we change while our parents are
deployed, they change as well. Like going into a
war zone and stuff, they come back completely
different people sometimes.
(Student)
63
Reentry
I think when he came back, the first argument that I
ever heard for 2 years now is that, “you don’t know
what I have been through.” And half of me wants
to just go up there and say, “you don’t know what
we have been through; we have done so much for
you and you just come home and start to yell. . . .
(Student)
64
Coping with deployment
• A fair number of survey respondents reported
that deployment ‘made us more religious’ and
‘made us stronger as a family.’
• Remaining parent strategies:
– Be more ‘loose’ on rules:
• They get to watch TV during dinner
• I’m more low-key than my husband, and when he’s
home, the stress level gets turned up a bit. There’s more
‘we have to do this for Daddy’s work, we have to go this
function, this barbecue, etc.’ When he’s gone, I’m like,
‘what do you guys want to do today? You want to go
the beach. Okay, we’ll go to the beach’.”
Coping with deployment
• Bringing extended family members to help:
– Whenever my husband is deployed, I always have a parent
come live with me. I wouldn’t be able to do it without them
– A lot of families cope with deployment by having
grandparents come and fly in to help out
• Making use of time that they have (in between
deployments):
– It’s not the quantity, but the quality of time that’s
important. When he’s home, we make sure it’s quality time
– so we do things as a family.. When he’s not here, I try
extra hard to be really conscious of what’s going on with
my kids.. Much more than usual.
Coping with deployment
• Children’s perspectives: Communication with deployed
dad matters!
• Well, when my dad was deployed to Afghanistan
for 7 months at around Christmas time, he sent
me this little doll. It’s a daddy doll, and it made
me feel a lot better
• When my dad was deployed, my mom made a
webcam and we got to see my dad. It was only
on certain days, but we could see him in
Afghanistan and we got to talk to him on the
computer.
Coping with deployment
Having teachers with knowledge about deployment:
– My teacher would support me and there’s a
counselor that was really great. There’s a little
group that gets together in her office if they
have a parent who is deployed, and she gives
them information about how to deal with it.
69