Reintegrating America's Citizen-Soldiers and Airmen: 'A Community Effort'

摘要

America's National Guard has answered the call to duty for the past 372 years. In times of peace and in war, the National Guard stands ready to respond. Today, Guardsmen across the country serve honorably on the frontlines of the Global War on Terrorism. Their presence on the battlefield fulfills their federal obligations; however, the programs used to reintegrate our 'hometown heroes' are incomplete. Record cases of suicides, broken marriages, battles with depression, mild Traumatic Brain Injury and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder plague our Citizen Soldiers. There has been much improvement in the deployment process since 2001, but the National Guard still falls short in conducting programs to educate and actively involve local communities in the deployment cycle. A community outreach program to educate the public about the National Guard and to generate a heightened awareness of the challenges surrounding Guard deployments and redeployments is needed to motivate community interest and assistance. This paper examines the challenges associated with deploying and reintegrating the militia; its impact on Guardsmen, their family and the need for greater community involvement and support.