Interpret and relate sociological content to a
“case” included in your readings. This week, you read about culture, the physical environment, and the family. In this case study, you will apply this to
“Case Study: The Sharpe Family’s Postdeployment Adjustment” (p. 192)
answering the below questions.
First, what typical (normative) life stressors have the family experienced since Bobby and Vivian married? What atypical (non-normative) stressors have the family experienced? According to the ABC-X Model, was the outcome of the family transition following the stressor one of recovery,
maladaptation, or bone adaptation?
a belief system, organization, and communication. In this case study, would the family have been able to continue functioning as a “modified extended family” if Bobby had remained in the Army, and the nuclear family lived on
a military base? Why or why not? Apply what you’re read about families.
Your answers should be in essay format, typed, 1-2 pages in length, and
double-spaced. This assignment should be completed independently. A
high-quality essay will explicitly incorporate concepts, theories, and topics
from the text and lectures, and it will demonstrate a good understanding of
them as they pertain to the specific questions above. A high-quality essay
will explicitly answer each question and integrate scholarly support from the
course reading(s).
REQUIREMENTS AND TIPS
• Assignment Length: 1-2 pages
• Format: Typed (12pt. font), double-spaced, one (1) inch margins
• You must provide citations using a consistent and appropriate APA format
both in-text and with a References page at the end of the submission
• Be sure to clearly and correctly define all sociological concepts, terms, or
theories that are used in your paper. Show off what you’ve learned!
• Excessive problems in grammar, spelling, and punctuation will result in grade
deductions
THE SHARPE FAMILY’S POSTDEPLOYMENT ADJUSTMENT
Bobby Sharpe’s U.S. Army National Guard unit was deployed
to Iraq in 2004 and to Afghanistan in 2010. Bobby suffered a
relatively minor physical injury in Iraq and still has occasional
nightmares about his tour in Afghanistan. He feels lucky,
however, that he and his family have not suffered some of the
traumatic postwar aftermath he has seen in the families of
some members of his Guard unit.
Bobby Sharpe is a 40-year-old African American man who
lives in a small southwestern town. He has been married to
Vivian for 17 years, and they have a 16-year-old daughter,
Marcie, and a 7-year-old son, Caleb, who has cerebral palsy.
Back when Bobby finished high school, he served in the army
for 4 years. He received some good training, enjoyed making
friends with people from diverse backgrounds, and had two
tours overseas but never served in a war zone. After 4 years,
he was eager to return home to be near his close-knit family.
Soon after returning home, he ran into Vivian, who had grown
up in his neighborhood, and they were soon spending a lot of
time together. A year later, they were married, and a year after
that, Marcie was born.
Bobby wasn’t sure what work he could do after he left the
army, but a few months after he returned home, he got in
touch with a high school friend who was working as a heating and air conditioning technician. After another
technician
4/13/2020 Order 316022614
https://admin.writerbay.com/orders_available?subcom=detailed&id=316022614 3/6
was fired, Bobby got a job where his friend worked, and his
friend helped him learn the technical aspects of the heating and air conditioning business. When Marcie
was born,
Vivian cared for her at home and also cared for her sister’s
small children while her sister, a single mother, worked.
When Bobby’s father had an automobile accident and had
to miss work for 6 months, Bobby and Vivian provided some
financial aid to Bobby’s mother and younger siblings while
his father was out of work. Finances were tight, and Bobby
and Vivian were afraid they would not be able to keep up the
mortgage on their house, which was a source of great pride
to them. Bobby decided to join the army National Guard to
bring in some extra money. He also looked forward to the
type of camaraderie he had experienced in the army. He
went to drills one weekend per month and took time off
from work for a 2-week training each year. His unit was
mobilized on two occasions to assist with floods in the state.
The extra money helped to stabilize the family economics,
and he enjoyed the friendships he developed, even though
only one other person in his unit was from his small town.
When Marcie entered public school, Vivian took a job in the
cafeteria at her school, which allowed Bobby and Vivian to
start a college fund for Marcie.
Bobby grew up in a close-knit family that included his mother
and father and three younger sisters, as well as a maternal
grandmother who lived with them. Several aunts, uncles, and
cousins lived nearby. Both parents were hardworking people,
and they created a happy home. Bobby’s grandmother provided child care when the children were small
and helped to
keep the household running smoothly.
Vivian grew up a few blocks from Bobby. Her father died in
Vietnam a few months before she was born, and her mother
moved her two daughters back to the town where she had
grown up. She struggled to raise her two daughters while working two jobs, with some help from her
mother, who lived in
town but also worked two jobs. Vivian was lucky that a neighborhood couple became her godparents and
played an active
role in her life. This couple was never able to have children of
their own, and they were happy to include Vivian in their leisure
activities. Vivian often turned to them for support and encouragement, and she continues to consider them
family.
During Bobby’s deployment to Iraq, Vivian and Marcie were able
to get along fine, with the love and support of Bobby’s family; Vivian’s mother, sister, and godparents; and
Bobby’s boss.
They missed Bobby and worried about him, but Marcie was
very good about picking up more responsibilities to help Vivian
4/13/2020 Order 316022614
https://admin.writerbay.com/orders_available?subcom=detailed&id=316022614 4/6
with the chores usually performed by Bobby. When the furnace broke, Bobby’s boss was generous about
doing the repair.
One of Bobby’s sisters helped Vivian juggle taking Marcie to
her afterschool activities and picking her up. Bobby was injured
by shrapnel in his last week in Iraq and spent 2 weeks in the
hospital in the nearest city when he returned home. The family
and friends network took care of Marcie while Vivian juggled
trips to the hospital with her work schedule.
But things were more complicated when Bobby was deployed
to Afghanistan. Bobby’s beloved grandmother had had a
stroke 2 years before this deployment, and his mother and
father were working opposite shifts at the local nursing home
so that someone was always home to care for her. Bobby’s
aunts, uncles, and cousins were taking turns providing a few
hours of care so that his mom and dad could get a break
and run errands. One of Bobby’s sisters had stayed in the
city after she completed college and had a busy life there.
Another sister, a single mother of a 2-year-old daughter, was
serving in the army in Iraq when Bobby left for Afghanistan.
Her daughter was living with Bobby and Vivian while she was
deployed. Bobby and Vivian’s son Caleb is the joy of the family, but he requires extra care. While Bobby
was deployed,
Vivian’s mother moved in with Vivian and cared for Caleb and
the 2-year-old niece during the day while Vivian worked and
Chapter 7: Families 193
then turned their care over to Vivian so that she could do a
6-hour shift caring for an older woman with dementia. To
help stabilize the family finances, Vivian accepted the offer
to take a supervisory position in the school department’s
lunch program. She was excited about the new responsibilities, but the demands of the new job were often
too much
during a time of great family upheaval. Vivian was especially
concerned about monitoring Marcie’s afterschool activities
now that she was approaching adolescence, but her godparents were a great help with that, just as they
had been
for Vivian during her adolescent years. Vivian had heard that
the National Guard had family support groups, but there was
nothing in the small town where she lives. Vivian did reach
out to the women’s group at her church, who provided emotional support as well as occasional meals and
transportation
for Marcie. Marcie and Caleb missed their dad, and Marcie
worried a lot about his safety, especially during the weeks
when they did not know his whereabouts.
Bobby returned from Afghanistan with no physical injuries,
but his best friend from the Guard lost a leg to a roadside
bomb. When Bobby came home, Vivian, Marcie, and Caleb
4/13/2020 Order 316022614
https://admin.writerbay.com/orders_available?subcom=detailed&id=316022614 5/6
were thrilled and were eager to pick up life where they left
off. Bobby wanted to spend a lot of time by himself, however, and Vivian realized that he was having trouble
sleeping,
sometimes had nightmares, and was easily startled by loud
noises. She did some research on the Internet and decided
that she needed to give Bobby time to readjust. She did her
best to help Marcie and Caleb understand this also. She was
pleased, but also worried, when Bobby began to go for long
walks and to spend time with a new puppy. After 4 months,
Bobby was able to talk about the guilt he felt about surviving
when other Guard members had died. He gradually began
to be more like his old self and was happy to get back to
work. He still makes time to spend with his friend who lost
a leg in Afghanistan. He and Vivian are preparing for, but
dreading, the day when Marcie will leave for college.
Sample Solution