All this talk of resiliency and empathy…
The chaplain asked us, “What did this year cost you?” 
“What did this year cost your family – your employer?”
He asked us what we knew worked well for reintegration? What had our challenges been in the past. And then one Navy Captain spoke up with something that had everyone shaking their heads in agreement.
He described how it would be great as we relaxed for the first week or two of leave/vacation we’d give ourselves upon returning, but then it would be like a light switched on and it would be back to 100% balancing our family obligations, fulltime civilian job and Navy Reserve requirements.
Over the past 8 months, we’ve only had to worry about the military’s requirements of us. Sure, those were long hours and challenging work, but compared to the everyday balancing act of a military reservist in many ways it is much, much simpler.
Now as we go back we are preparing for the multitude of requests from a multitude of channels – and that more than anything is what it seems we each brace ourselves for.
For some they’ll put off their civilian job for a month or two and slowly ramp up. For others they’ll refuse to engage with their NOSC (Navy Operational Support Command) for a month or two. Other still will limit their social exposure.
We’ll each handle that ramp with as much control as we can, and through it all we’ll rely heavily on our families and friends for gracious patience even as they struggle with the changes of reintegration as well.
A friend of mine wrote beautifully on her blog about this:
The transition home has been slow and I am asking for grace and patience from everyone. I need you to remember I was gone a year and a lot has changed in that year without me. I am mourning so many things and I need the time to get there. While I was gone the reality of what I missed was lost. Now that I’m home I see those things and I need time to mourn that loss and figure out where I fit again. For a year all I did was take care of myself and I have to reintegrate myself into a world with other people. There are so many things that are breaking my heart and I have to get through them and I need patience from all.
Read the rest at her blog here.
Dearest Lesley,
Wanted you to know that I am thinking of you and sending you love and support as you reclaim your life here at home. Thank you for your sacrifice. I can never fully understand what it cost you, but on behalf of all American citizens, thank you.