One aspect of military life not often shared by civilians is the Permanent Change of Station (PCS). In order to meet the needs of the service and enhance promotion opportunities, military families move on average every 3 or 4 years, perhaps five or six times in the course of a career. A PCS to some locations, particularly overseas, may require moving into temporary quarters upon arrival until permanent lodging is available. 
Although the government pays for these moves, the family still suffers through the upheaval of relocation, the confusion of changing schools, and the heartbreak of leaving old friends. It's not uncommon for dad to have to precede the family for training en-route, or to let the kids finish the school year, leaving mom to cope with finding a new home and a church community.
A PCS move can be especially hard on the kids as they leave the security of familiar surroundings, and struggle to adapt to their new situation while they make new friends. A recent study published in the Archives of Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine analyzed over 300,000 active duty Army children, and reported that nearly 20% exhibited mental health problems. Recurring deployments appeared to be a primary cause, but the pressures of frequent PCS moves clearly exacerbate the symptoms of existing mental health conditions.
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