Rep. Harry E. Mitchell Holds a Hearing On U.S. National Guard and Reserves Reintegration

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON VETERANS' AFFAIRS, SUBCOMMITTEE ON OVERSIGHT AND INVESTIGATIONS HOLDS A HEARING ON U.S. NATIONAL GUARD AND RESERVES REINTEGRATION

JUNE 24, 2008

SPEAKERS: REP. HARRY E. MITCHELL, D-ARIZ., CHAIRMAN REP. ZACK SPACE, D-OHIO REP. TIM WALZ, D-MINN. REP. CIRO D. RODRIGUEZ, D-TEXAS REP. BOB FILNER, D-CALIF. EX OFFICIO

REP. GINNY BROWN-WAITE, R-FLA., RANKING MEMBER REP. CLIFF STEARNS, R-FLA. REP. BRIAN P. BILBRAY, R-CALIF. REP. STEVE BUYER, R-IND. EX OFFICIO

WITNESSES: SERGEANT MAJOR JANET SALOTTI (USA), CHIEF OF REINTEGRATION, OFFICE OF JOINT MANPOWER AND PERSONNEL, NATIONAL GUARD BUREAU

MAJOR GENERAL MARIANNE MATHEWSON-CHAPMAN (USA), COORDINATOR, OFFICE OF OUTREACH TO GUARD AND RESERVE FAMILIES, VETERANS HEALTH ADMINISTRATION

PATRICK CAMPBELL, LEGISLATIVE DIRECTOR, IRAQ AND AFGHANISTAN VETERANS OF AMERICA

JOSEPH SHARPE, DEPUTY DIRECTOR, NATIONAL ECONOMIC COMMISSION, AMERICAN LEGION

COLONEL CORINNE RITTER (USA), DIRECTOR, SURGEON OFFICE FORWARD

[*] MITCHELL: Good afternoon, and welcome to the Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations hearing on V.A. and DOD cooperation and reintegration of National Guard and Reserves.

This hearing will come to order. We're here today to address what the Department of Defense and the V.A. are doing to help members of the reserve components reintegrate into civilian life after their return from deployment to the combat theater.

Members of the National Guard and Reserves units typically disperse more widely upon their return than those in active duty units, and it's more difficult to ensure that they receive the readjustment benefits and services that they may need and have certainly earned.

National Guard and Reserve members are serving at the same operational tempo as active duty units. Half of the veterans from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are members of the National Guard or Reserve.

It's important for DOD and V.A. to work together, along with the servicemembers and his or her family, to ensure a good transition from military to civilian life.

Guard and Reserve members return to their civilian lives with little decompression time. Most are married, many have children, and they often find it difficult to reconnect with families and communities. The skills and emotional attitudes that are essential in a combat environment present unique challenges if applied to the civilian life without some readjustment assistance.

Veterans in the Guard and Reserve, just as those in active duty components, can make use of educational benefits, health care and other readjustment assistance for having served their country.

Unfortunately, excessive bureaucracy makes it difficult for veterans to receive these benefits, let alone know what is available. Close cooperation between the DOD, V.A. and the state is essential to ease the transition from military to civilian life.

Assisting veterans and their families require that V.A. be present at demobilization sites; that returning Guard and Reserve units be engaged in, and be compensated for, reintegration activities at 30-, 60-, and 90-day intervals after demobilization; that families be fully involved; that DOD, V.A. and the states fully cooperate and participate in the reintegration events; and that DOD, V.A., and the states engage in outreach to ensure all Guard and Reserve veterans and their families know about the services and benefits available to them.

Congress recognized these needs in the most recent National Defense Authorization Act. The fiscal year 2008 NDAA mandates the 30- , 60-, and 90-day reintegration and outreach program.

The NDAA also requires DOD to create an Office of Reintegration Programs and a Center of Excellence in Reintegration within the Office of the Secretary of Defense. The Reserve components are awaiting policy guidance from that office so they can proceed.

Despite the slow federal response, a number of states have stepped up and created first-class programs. I know that in my home state of Arizona, th...

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