The Hidden Sacrifice of SOF Families
When Joseph Brokamp joined Air Force Special Operations Forces (AFSOF) as a Combat Controller, he knew his path would be one of sacrifice. What he didn’t anticipate was the toll that sacrifice would take on his marriage. The Combat Control pipeline alone requires two years of intense, consecutive training—followed by extended deployments and constant travel.
Joseph’s wife, Lauren, found herself home with their young children, navigating daily life alone while he was thousands of miles away. The separation slowly frayed their marriage. “Many times our marriage was tied by mere threads, ready to break,” Joseph shared.
This is not unique to their story. For many Special Operations Forces (SOF) families, the relentless cycle of deployment and reintegration creates emotional distance that is difficult to repair.
The Cycle of Separation and Reintegration
Life as a SOF family means constant transitions—saying goodbye, living apart, and trying to reconnect again when service members return. While resilience is often celebrated, the emotional armor required to cope can build invisible walls between partners.
“You get cold because you have to, in order to survive,” Joseph explained. “Then I come home and we start to connect, but I just leave again. It’s a cycle.”
Without intentional time to pause, couples often drift apart under the weight of service demands. That’s where Operation Healing Forces steps in.
Finding Hope Through Operation Healing Forces
Joseph and Lauren found healing during an Operation Healing Forces therapeutic retreat in Nicaragua. For the first time in years, they were able to slow down and focus on each other.
Surrounded by peaceful views of the ocean and guided through therapeutic activities such as morning yoga, hiking, and horseback riding, they rediscovered the joy of being present together. “We got to experience a different kind of life, something that was slower-paced and simpler. It let us focus on the good parts of life,” Joseph reflected.
Beyond the setting, what mattered most was the feeling of being cared for. “Lauren has sacrificed so much for me and our family,” Joseph said. “I was grateful to do this for her and with her.”
Breaking the Cycle for SOF Couples
Operation Healing Forces’ therapeutic retreat program is designed specifically for Special Operations Forces couples who rarely get uninterrupted time together. These retreats create a break in the relentless cycle of separation and reintegration, offering:
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Dedicated time for reconnection free from the demands of military life.
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Therapeutic activities that encourage reflection, trust, and communication.
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A supportive community of other SOF couples who understand the unique challenges of this lifestyle.
For Joseph and Lauren, it was a chance to find each other again after years apart. They returned home not only feeling closer, but also more confident in their ability to face life’s demands together.
The Lasting Impact
Strong relationships are the foundation of strong families—and strong families are essential to the Special Operations community. By helping SOF couples prioritize their marriage, Operation Healing Forces ensures that those who serve, and those who stand beside them, are supported in every season of life.
As Joseph and Lauren’s story shows, breaking the cycle of separation is possible. With intentional time, care, and the right resources, love can be renewed and strengthened.
