Why care groups would come in handy

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By Standard Reporter

Even as eyes are fixed on the Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) to provide care to veterans and their families, the public must also play a role in offering support.

“As far as it is the responsibility of KDF to cater for the soldiers and their families, I also think that civilians should try and understand military families,” says Diana Serem, a military spouse.

Military spouses are identified as being Military Significant Other (MSO).

“I suggest if people marry or are married to the military they should make a point of visiting the older MSOs to update them in survival tactics as well as understanding basic deployment effects and how to always stay calm,” she says.

In Kenya, MSOs have various KDF wives groups on Whatsapp (a mobile messaging application) that act as Family Readiness Groups (FRGs) through which they constantly encourage each other and exchange information.

“Movies like Army Wives have important lessons on how to deal with deployment, daily activities as well as post traumatic stress disorder. Learning to stand in the gap of the MSO can help many families to stand strong in the face of deployment and the scars that come with it,” Diana advises.

According to the Military Veterans Forum, the defence forces, retired personnel, associated personnel and extended families comprise around 2 million people.