Thousands of San Diego sailors and Marines are now deployed with thousands more preparing to leave.
The San Diego-based aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln left in November and has been involved in airstrikes in Iran.
The USS Boxer Amphibious Ready Group with the embarked 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit left last month and is expected to join the Abraham Lincoln soon.
And another San Diego-based carrier, the USS Theodore Roosevelt, has been busy conducting carrier qualifications with Carrier Air Wing 11. It's expected to deploy soon.
Sarah Howard, the office coordinator at the SAY San Diego Military Family Resource Center, said thousands of San Diego military families recently received 48-hour deployment notices.
The accelerated deployment schedules have many families scrambling, she said.
"We have seen an uptick in themes — worry, lots of worry, (and) panic — which is totally natural," Howard told KPBS in an interview. "People are not prepared or don't know how to be prepared for a deployment, especially (on) that short notice."
The Military Family Resource Center is located on Santo Road in the Murphy Canyon military housing area.
She said a lot of the family members she talks to don't know what support systems are available.
"A lack of information is causing some panic," Howard said. "And lots of people want community connection. They feel like they don't have any support."
Howard said social media is one place to start.
"Social media, military housing groups, learning, getting out of that setting and trying new things in San Diego — I always update a list of free events on our social media pages for what's coming up in the next two weeks."
The resource center also has a deployment checklist full of links, information and resources available for military families.
Howard said she's also available to help military families experiencing mental or emotional distress. She said she'll help connect people with therapists or other providers.
"Utilize that, because sometimes you just need to dump into the void, and that void listens to you," she said.
