REINTEGRATION
The challenge of the road home:
From Warrior to Citizen-Soldier.
SFC Ron Huff
CH (MAJ) John Morris
SSG Jennifer Iveland
MN BCT SOLDIERS
BY
HOME OF RECORD
25 AND
UNDER PAX
26- 75 PAX
76 PAX AND
UP
THE NUMBERS
8027
TOTAL MNARNG MOBILIZED SINCE 1996
7781
TOTAL MNARNG MOBILIZED SINCE 9/11
946
SOLDIERS THAT HAVE MOBILIZED
SINCE 2002 HAVE ETS, RETIRED, OR
HAVE TRANSFERRED OUT OF THE MNARNG
1056
SOLDIERS HAVE VOLUNTEERED TO
DEPLOY ON A SECOND MISSION
As of 17APR06
Reintegration
• The Road to War
– From Citizen to Soldier to Warrior
– From Security to insecurity
– From Safety to danger
– From Comfort to discomfort
– From Order to chaos, law to lawlessness
– From Cooperation to survival
– From Trust to mistrust
– From ‘us’ to ‘me’
REINTEGRATION
• FROM WARRIOR TO CITIZEN
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
FROM INSECURITY TO SECURITY
FROM DANGER TO SAFETY
FROM CHAOS TO ORDER
FROM DISCOMFORT TO COMFORT
FROM SURVIVAL TO THRIVING
FROM MISTRUST TO TRUST
FROM “ME” TO “US”
Reintegration
• The road home: longer, steeper, tougher
• The statistics are in:
• 18% of 82d ABN and 101st ABN-significant
signs of mental health issues after
returning from combat.
• 30% of soldiers show signs of mental
health issues 4-5 months after demob
• Guard/Reserve-highest rates
Reintegration
• FIVE CRITICAL CHALLENGES YOU
MUST FACE, MASTER AND
ACCOMPLISH
– Over come Alienation
– Move from simplicity to complexity
– Replace war with another form of high
– Move beyond war and find meaning in life
– Come to peace w/self, God and others
Reintegration
• TASK 1
• Overcome alienation
– From family
– From friends
– From co workers
– From community
Reintegration
• TASK 2
• Move from simplicity to complexity
– From self to others
– From survival to thriving
– From others thinking for you to
responsibility
– From no choices to overwhelming choices
Reintegration
• TASK 3
• Replace War with another High
– War is an adventure
– Nothing in civilian life matches the intensity
– Speed kills: So do drugs, alcohol, etc…
– How do you learn to accept life as it is?
REINTEGRATION
• TASK 4
• WE WERE SOLDIERS AND YOUNG
ONCE…BUT WHAT ARE WE NOW?
– WE HAVE TO FIND MEANING AND
PURPOSE OUTSIDE OF COMBAT
– WE WERE SOMEONE BEFORE WAR AND
WE WILL BE SOMEONE AFTER WAR
– OR WILL WE BE STUCK IN IRAQ
FOREVER?
REINTEGRATION
• TASK 5
• MAKE PEACE WITH SELF, GOD AND
OTHERS
– We may have done, or not done things that
violate our moral code
– We participated in the killing of other
humans
– Is there absolution or do we live with guilt,
(real, false, survivors) forever?
Combat Stress
Combat Stress
• We are not crazy.
Neither are you!
Combat Stress
• All combat veterans experience combat
Operational stress.
-the majority of combat veterans handle their
stress very well.
-a significant minority develop PTSD and
require extensive help.
-”IF YOU WENT TO WAR AND WEREN’T
CHANGED, YOU WERE CRAZY
BEFORE YOU LEFT.”