This document summarizes a study that examined how deployment status affects perceptions of family functioning among military wives and children. The study found that families of currently deployed soldiers reported the lowest marital satisfaction, family cohesion, flexibility, communication and overall satisfaction. Families of recently returned soldiers also reported impacts. Children's drawings of parental bonding supported these findings, with higher bonding reported for recently returned and currently deployed families. The results indicate military families are affected by periods of operational deployment, with impacts most severe for those with soldiers currently away.