With an increasing number of servicemembers returning from Iraq and Afghanistan, U.S. Rep. Blaine Luetkemeyer (MO-9) is urging spouses of those coming home to take advantage of a Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) telephone support program designed to ease the transition for returning troops and their families.

“This telephone support program is an invaluable resource for our military families and veterans during the transition from service overseas to life back here at home,” Luetkemeyer said. “I urge folks to take advantage of this program as a way to deal with the challenges that face our veterans and their families especially during the holidays.”  

The VA is implementing a telephone support program to help the spouses of returning Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans. The telephone support program builds spouses’ ability to cope with the challenges that reintegration to civilian society can bring, helps them serve as a pillar of support for returning Veterans, and eases the transition for families after deployments.  Spouses participate in 12 telephone support groups over six months. The focus is on problem-solving and communication, relationships, mental health and resilience.  A trained, nationwide team of VA medical center staff members, including many caregiver support coordinators, will lead the support groups. Typical issues spouses and Veterans face after deployment include communication difficulties, the need to renegotiate family roles and responsibilities and the added stress of combat related injury.  Spouses of Veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan have reported feeling overwhelmed, depressed, anxious and frustrated.

Local caregiver support coordinators assist veterans and give caregivers an understanding of how to apply for VA’s caregiver benefits and there is a Web page, www.caregiver.va.gov, containing general information on spouse telephone support and other VA and community support programs. The Caregiver Support Line is 1-855-260-3274. Veterans may also be interested in http://www.caregiver.va.gov/help_landing.asp, a Web site designed to help them find contacts in their area.

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