USS Enterprise (CVN 65)
The Shuttle Newsletter Edition
“We are Legend”
October 29, 2012 Issue
Communication and Planning Key to Successful Return
Story by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class (SW) Randy J. Savarese USS ENTERPRISE, At sea – Fleet and Family Services has provided return and reunion training aboard ships since the 1980’s, when following a rough deployment by another aircraft carrier, the ship’s chaplains felt it would be beneficial to bring specially-trained Fleet and Family representatives aboard to start helping Sailors make the transition from deployment and shipboard life back to civilian life. As aircraft carrier USS Enterprise (CVN 65) nears the end of its final deployment, Fleet and Family instructors have continued the tradition of preparing underway Sailors for their return to homeport by teaching a variety of classes on everything from financial planning to communication and intimacy. While each of the instructors aboard is trained to instruct on any topic, each has a different focus and insight into the homecoming process, whether it be the financial aspect or simply that of dreaming of a perfect welcome on the pier. Kim Tarshis, the return and reunion team lead, warns that having unrealistic homecoming expectations can be a problem. “I think the media has done a disservice to service members with TV shows focused on the perfect homecoming and all of the surprise homecomings,” said Tarshis. “When you watch them on TV they always work out perfectly, but that is not always the case. I go to bed every night hoping and praying everyone has the homecoming that they want and deserve after working so hard for eight months, but we just want to broaden that expectation so they are better prepared for what may happen.” Part of that preparation involves proper planning. “What we find is that with careful planning and realistic expectations, folks can have a great homecoming,” said Tarshis. “It’s not just about what you can expect when you walk off the pier, but also just reintegrating into life. You have to start that communication if you are returning to a partner or a spouse and (begin) really talking about expectations.” While many Sailors and Marines feel privileged to have served aboard this historic carrier during her final deployment, one of the challenges this has created is the unknowns centered around Sailors’ careers upon their return. “This is an unusual homecoming because of the ship’s inactivation,” said Tarshis. “There are still a lot of folks who don’t know where they are going. They don’t know what commands they might be going to or how soon they are going to deploy, and that’s unusual. So it’s harder to get them into the mindset that this is a homecoming when so many of their plans are still up in the air.” Danielle Gamez, a return and reunion instructor, stressed expectations and communication. “I would say the biggest thing is expectations,” said Gamez. “It’s important to realize the expectations of your families,
AD2 Bauer reunites with his wife after returning from Enterprise’s previous deployment. (Photo by MC3 Jared King)
your spouses and your children and realistic with those expectations.” “You’ll see in a lot of our classes we talk about communication. Fleet and Family loves that word. We talk about it a lot,” said Gamez. “Having open and honest communication with your loved ones when you get back about what things are like and what you’re feeling (is important). Starting that right away is going to make for a better reunion period.” Megan Sather, a Fleet and Family financial educator, brought her considerable knowledge on money management, another important aspect of returning home, but also stressed a focus on communication. “Communication is important for any topic,” said Sather. “Maybe there is a pot of money saved up and the husband and wife have two completely different ideas about what they would like to do with that money. I talked to a Sailor who saved a bunch of money and her husband decided they needed a new kitchen and spent it on that instead of paying off the bills like she wanted to do. Communicating where the money should go is really important.” As with homecoming, planning is also important when it comes to finances. “When it comes to money, just come up with a plan because your budget is going to dramatically change,” said Sather. “You’re going to lose money and you’re going to spend more because now you’re feeding more people in the house and you’re gassing up more than one vehicle, plus the water and electricity. So, you have a completely different budget then what you’ve had for the past eight months.” One thing Sailors should remember above all else are that these services are available to them at any point in their career. “We are here not just for the end of deployment, but continuing on into the future, and Sailors need to know that,” said Sather. “Fleet and Family is here, not just now, but for the long haul.”