Supporting Military Families through Geo-Batching: The Mission of Family and Flight

Navigating life as a military family often means embracing unique challenges and making difficult decisions. One such reality many military families face is geo-batching, or living apart due to military assignments. This practice, while beneficial in certain circumstances, involves separating family members across different states or countries and has significant emotional and logistical implications.

In a recent episode of "Ruck Up Buttercup," Chelsea Thomas, the founder of Family and Flight, shared her personal story and mission to support geo-batching families. This blog post will encapsulate the podcast discussion, highlighting the nonprofit's goals, challenges of geo-batching, and the importance of community support.

Introducing Family and Flight

Family and Flight is a nonprofit organization founded by Chelsea Thomas, who is personally acquainted with the challenges of geo-batching. Married to an active Air Force member, Chelsea initiated this organization from her own experience of living apart from her husband for the sake of her children’s stability. Her nonprofit aims to provide emotional and financial aid to military spouses who find themselves in similar circumstances.

Geo-batching involves families choosing, or being required, to live separately for various reasons. For some, it's a choice made to maintain employment, continue a child's education uninterrupted, or fulfill medical needs. According to Chelsea, about 4% of military members are geo-batching at any given time, indicating a significant portion of military families who could benefit from targeted support.

Geo-batching can feel akin to undergoing a deployment without the formal acknowledgment or support structures typically associated with a deployment. She emphasized the importance of communication and intentionality in maintaining family relationships across distances, highlighting practices like regular video calls and vent containers—a concept introduced by a therapist as a way to express frustrations safely. There is a need for emotional support networks for military families, who often have to adapt to rapidly changing circumstances.

Family and Flight's Efforts and Impact

Family and Flight stands out as a beacon for military families by offering both financial grants and emotional support services. This includes aiding with travel expenses so families can reunite more easily. Chelsea mentioned their upcoming initiatives like virtual 5Ks to promote community among separated families and plans for monthly support Zoom calls.

The nonprofit also aims to enrich its resource offerings for the military community, such as compiling lists of verified supports and benefits available to military families. This initiative stems from recognizing misinformation that circulates online, which can be demoralizing for families seeking genuine help.

Chelsea invites military families, regardless of branch, to spread the word about Family and Flight and get involved as volunteers or ambassadors. Whether it's advocating for the nonprofit within their networks or participating in initiatives like the 5K, every bit helps raise awareness and support for geo-batching families.

The episode with Chelsea Thomas on "Ruck Up Buttercup" was not just an exploration into the logistics of geo-batching but a powerful call to action. Family and Flight's mission is pivotal: it advocates for a community of support, emphasizing the message that no military family should feel isolated during such transitions. The importance of intentional dialogue, community initiatives, and accessible resources cannot be overstated in lifting the spirits and stability of military families separated by geo-batching.

"Ruck Up Buttercup,"—with the right support, military families can face any challenge.

To check out this and many other episodes: https://soundcloud.com/deployed-love-board