During wartime, it’s natural for TV and film to focus on the military. And, since “Army Wives” is on Lifetime, this ensemble drama looks at the spouses often left behind.

“Army Wives” studies the challenges these spouses face, which in the early going includes mates suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder, domestic abuse, alcoholism and isolation (along with just not knowing if their loved ones will make it back).

At the heart of “Army Wives,” based on the book “Under the Sabers: The Unwritten Code of Army Wives” by Tanya Biank, are four wives and one husband all living at the Army post who become an informal support group.

Born to the upper class, Claudia Joy Holden (Kim Delaney, “NYPD Blue”), well-respected by the other wives, dropped out of Harvard Law School to marry Michael (Brian McNamara), a career officer who just got passed over for brigadier general.

While her major husband is overseas, Denise Sherwood (Catherine Bell, “JAG”) has to deal with their rebellious teen-age son and his shocking secret.

Former cop Pamela Moran (Brigid Brannagh) must deal with three children, her two younger ones and her husband, who keeps buying toys for himself and the kids that they can’t afford. As a result, Pamela has taken on a unique job.

Roland Burton (Sterling K. Brown) is a psychiatrist who can’t figure out how to help his lieutenant colonel wife (Wendy Davis), who is struggling mightily with what her troops did in Afghanistan.

But the most enjoyable character is Roxy LeBlanc (Sally Pressman), a feisty barmaid who impulsively marries a soldier she has known for only a couple of weeks, creating an instant family for her two boys by two different fathers. It’s Roxy who brings this quintet together thanks to an event at Claudia Joy’s tea party.

The enjoyble “Army Wives” is a distaff “Unit,” without all the secret ops (and little of the soldiers themselves) but with a lot more of the home front. It’s a reflection of what many military families are facing as the war on terrorism stretches on.