JOINT BASE CHARLESTON, S.C. –
The active-duty military includes nearly 73,000 single parents, which equates to 5.3 percent of the total force, according to Defense Department statistics from 2008. The Army leads the way with more than 35,000 single parents, followed by the Navy with more than 16,000, and the Air Force with more than 15,000. The Marine Corps, the smallest force, has about 5,000.
According to Clayton Seufert, 628th Force Support Squadron personnel systems manager, there are 151 single parents on the Air Force side of joint Base Charleston.
Single parents balance heavy military demands with an equally demanding home life, said Barbara Thompson, the director of the Defense Department's office of family policy, children and youth. The military's family support system recognizes this double duty.
"The question is, 'How we can better support them in that challenge of being in the military and a single parent?'" she said. "We have to realize [parenting is] a tough duty, whether single or dual military, because of their commitment to the nation."
Some Airmen have found a way to stand out in work while also being a single parent.
Airman 1st Class Brent Rodriguez, a member of the 437th Aerial Port Squadron traffic management office, was chosen as a Diamond Sharp Award winner for June. Airman Rodriguez has been a single parent for two years.
"I was impressed by him from the first time I met him," said Master Sgt. Shannon Wells, 437 APS first sergeant. "Airman Rodriguez stood out and I chose him as my diamond sharp, and that was before I knew he was a single father."
Airman Rodriguez has made time for his three-year-old son, Brent, but also makes it a priority to excel in work.
"It's not difficult for me; I just have to do everything twice. Wake up, wake up my son, brush my teeth, brush his teeth ...," he said. "I take it a day at a time."
Airman Rodriguez has found ways to incorporate his son into his squadron activities.
"Brent calls people I work with by name and I bring him to every intramural softball game," Airman Rodriguez said.
He also said his supervisor has been a lot of help in accommodating his needs to take care of his son.
Another Airman on base who has figured out how to juggle work with family is Tech. Sgt. Summer Neal, 628th Air Base Wing director of staff resource advisor.
Sergeant Neal was a single parent from 2000 to 2005 and currently her husband is deployed to the Middle East. Sergeant Neal has three children, ages 10, 16 and 18.
Sergeant Neal took her children to day care and the youth centers when she was stationed at Maxwell AFB, Ala. She said day care was open and available to extended hours while exercises were happening on base and day care workers also offered to help on the weekends, if needed.
Sergeant Neal's oldest daughter, Mystique, 18, said, "I had a lot of fun at the youth center because I made a lot of friends there and they always had events going on."
Sergeant Neal also took advantage of the official and unofficial support systems.
"The best support system I had was from the unofficial single parents groups and the other single parents I met through the Child Development Center and base housing," she said.
They looked out for one another, swapped babysitters, had weekly get-together dinners and informed each other of case-lot sales on base.
Mystique said, "I remember it being difficult. I missed her a lot, especially when she deployed. But even if I was away from my mom, I had a lot of people I could be with who I was comfortable around."
The Base Chapel also has various support groups available to all Airmen.
"We want to be part of the network of support to meet Airmen's physical, emotional and spiritual needs," said Chaplain [Capt.] Scott Bowen, a Protestant Chaplain at Joint Base Charleston.
We want the Airmen to know we have an open door and if Airman or their family members are looking for support or any other information, they are encouraged to contact the chapel at 963-2536, said Chaplain Bowen.
Ms. Thompson said she encourages single parents to rely on military support systems such as child and youth centers, which have expanded support programs in recent years to accommodate the increasing military demands for all parents - single and military.
Child development and youth centers, for instance, have extended their hours to accommodate military work schedules, she said. Also, online resources such as Tutor.com offer free tutoring services to military children, a helping hand to parents who may not have the time to provide extensive homework support.
Ms. Thompson also pointed out the importance of parent-support networks, which can be useful for everything from babysitting and play groups to some much-needed adult time.
"It helps to know you're not alone," she said.
The military will maintain its focus on the needs of its families. Whether married, single or dual-military, their quality of life remains a priority for defense officials, Ms. Thompson said.
(Elaine Wilson, American Force Press Service contributed to this article)