A PRELIMINARY REPORT OF AN EFFORT TO STUDY THE EFFECTS OF FATHER'S ABSENCE (FA) AND/OR GEOGRAPHIC MOBILITY ON THE MILITARY FAMILY IS PRESENTED. CONTACT WAS ESTABLISHED WITH 65 FAMILIES WHO HAD FIVE TO EIGHT YEAR OLD SONS AND HAD ORDERS FOR AN UNACCOMPANIED FAMILY TOUR OF AT LEAST ONE YEAR'S DURATION IN A NONCOMBAT AREA. PSYCHOLOGICAL TESTS WERE ADMINISTERED TO THE FAMILY TO OBTAIN MEASURES OF INDIVIDUAL ADJUSTMENT AND FAMILY RELATIONSHIPS. PRELIMINARY FINDINGS INDICATE--(1) MILITARY FAMILIES MAY RESPOND DIFFERENTLY TO FA THAN PREVIOUSLY STUDIED FAMILIES, (2) ADAPTATION TO FA BY SUBSTITUTION OF OTHER FAMILY SUPPORTS IS ASSOCIATED WITH FEWER CHILD BEHAVIOR PROBLEMS, (3) FA BOYS EXHIBIT INCREASED MASCULINE STRIVING AND POORER PEER ADJUSTMENT, BUT NO SIGNIFICANT CHANGES IN DEPENDENCY BEHAVIOR DETERIORATION AS WELL AS PERSONAL GROWTH OF MOTHER AND SON ARE EXPERIENCED, (5) THE MOTHER'S INCREASED TENSION MAY BE EXPRESSED BY DECREASED TOLERANCE OF THE CHILD'S BEHAVIOR, AND (6) SUPPORT FROM OUTSIDE THE NUCLEAR FAMILY SEEMS CRUCIAL. THE STUDY IS LIMITED BECAUSE THE DATA IS BASED ON TOO SMALL A NUMBER OF SUBJECTS TO PERMIT PRECISE STATISTICAL ANALYSIS. THIS PAPER WAS PRESENTED AT THE 44TH ANNUAL MEETING OF THE AMERICAN ORTHOPSYCHIATRIC ASSOCIATION, WASHINGTON, D.C., MARCH, 1967. (AUTHOR)