June 25, 2008

Subcommittee Looks at Reintegration of National Guard and Reserves

For more information, contact: Brian Lawrence, (202) 225-3527

Washington, D.C. —The Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations held a hearing yesterday to determine how well the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and the Department of Defense (DOD) work together to assist in the reintegration of the National Guard and Reserves.

Subcommittee Ranking Member Ginny Brown-Waite (R-Fla.), in the absence of a DOD witness, questioned National Guard and Reserve witnesses about the lack of guidance and funding from DOD.  Brown-Waite inquired if lack of support affected individual units’ efforts to assist service members during reintegration, including screening for Post Traumatic Distress Disorder (PTSD).  She also asked the Reserve components and the VA why the Marine Corps is the only service that requires departing service members to attend Transition Assistance Program training.  

“Transition programs like these can truly make the difference between life and death for some of our servicemembers and their families,” said Rep. Brown-Waite.  “Soldiers leaving the military must be given the information and screening they need to make a successful transition back to civilian life.  I am deeply concerned that it does not appear to be standard operating procedure for all the services to provide PTSD screening for departing servicemembers.  With the high rate of PTSD cases, as well as a disturbing number of veteran suicides that we have seen coming out of and , the DOD is clearly failing our young men and women if they are not taking their duty seriously and conducting exit screenings on each and every soldier.”

Rep. Brown-Waite also commended Congressman John Kline (R-Minn.) for his legislation, H.R. 2090, which would direct DOD to establish a national combat veteran reintegration program (the Yellow Ribbon Reintegration Program) to provide National Guard members and their families with information, services, referral, and outreach opportunities throughout the entire deployment cycle.  This bill language was included in the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2008, which became Public Law 110-181 on January 28, 2008.

“These servicemembers play a significant role in the defense of our nation and the freedoms we enjoy, and should be given all due consideration when we evaluate the programs that serve them,” continued Rep. Brown-Waite.  “Having spoken to many of the families of Guard and Reserve troops back home in Florida, I can tell you that it is not just the soldier in the field who needs transition help and advice.  Spouses and children oftentimes need help making the ends meet when bills come due, or seek counseling to deal with a parent who might be gone for up to fifteen months at a time.  I am proud to support Rep. Kline in efforts to support both the Guard members and their families in times of need.”
                                                                                                            

For more news from House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs Republicans, please go to:
http://republicans.veterans.house.gov/  
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