Recently I have been reading and hearing a lot about challenges that members of the National Guard are facing after returning from serving on active duty.
Historically the National Guard has been seen as the key players right here in our own backyards aiding in natural disaster cleanup and civil emergencies. However, the President has the authority to call the National Guard to active federal duty. Since 9/11, more than 210,000 have been called to active service and 211 have already died in Iraq. As of 2008, the Guard represented 7 percent of the force in Iraq and 15 percent in Afghanistan.
Now these same men and women that are fighting along side our regular active men and women are struggling to receive health care after returning home. And if you can imagine, even more so than their active duty counterparts because of the way that eligibility requirements written long before the start of the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan.
I know change in legislation cannot be made overnight, but I also know that it only takes 72 hours to deploy a completely stocked and manned aircraft carrier. Since sometimes all it takes is someone to spell out the “plan”, here it is:
Step 1: Prior to deployment:
- Enlist each of the federally activated guardsmen into the regular Army
- Complete and submit regular military life insurance paperwork
- Exchange each of the National Guard member’s ID cards with regular military ID cards
- Issue regular dog tags
- Deploy
Note: Cost and manpower minimal since we already have active duty personnel performing these functions!
Step 2: Post Deployment:
- Debrief on eligible benefits and where to obtain transition assistance
- Discharge back to National Guard
- Re-issue National Guard ID Card
- Provide copies of all medical and service record paperwork accumulated while on active duty
- Thank them for their service!!!
Note: Again, NO additional resources or manpower is required because we already have personnel performing these functions!
Will this solve the problems with receiving care at the VA in general, NO. But this will solve the problem of National Guardsman being treated as outcasts at the VA after filling the call to duty!
