Reintegration of National Guard Soldiers with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder

Returning warriors from the streets of Iraq or the hillsides of Afghanistan to Main Street USA undergo a profound transition. Many experience considerable difficulty in returning to a civilian lifestyle. Since the Vietnam War, many returning veterans have been diagnosed with the invisible wounds of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). An alarming number of soldiers returning from our current wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are likewise coming home suffering from PTSD. Guard soldiers are particularly vulnerable. Guard leaders must do all they can to strengthen the care of those who have been psychologically injured. They should implement preventive measures to provide Guard soldiers with sufficient resilience to counter combat trauma. To retain the force, we must better care for the welfare of our traditional citizen-soldiers and their families. Guard leaders need to discontinue the rapid out-processing and extend the decompression time to enable Guard soldiers to effectively reintegrate back into their civilian world. This SRP addresses the issues of returning Guard soldiers suffering from the invisible wounds of PTSD. It recommends procedures and policy that will provide better support for returning Guard veterans.