Mr. Sharpe and Patrick Campbell of Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America, a Guardsman from Louisiana, both testified that, in the words of Mr. Sharpe, “a majority of transitioning service members, of the Reserves and National Guard, especially those returning from Operations Enduring Freedom (OEF) and Iraqi Freedom (OIF) are not being adequately advised of the benefits and service available to them from VA and other Federal and state agencies.”

“Congress recognized the needs of returning service members in the most recent National Defense Authorization Act,” said Chairman Mitchell. “The NDAA mandates the 30, 60, and 90 day reintegration program and outreach. The NDAA also requires DOD to create an Office of Reintegration Programs within the Office of the Secretary of Defense and a Center of Excellence in Reintegration within that office.” Despite this directive, the Office of the Secretary of Defense (OSD) has not created the office nor has it issued guidance to the Guard and Reserves components on how to proceed. Witnesses from the National Guard Bureau and the Office of the Chief of Army Reserve both testified that OSD has provided no guidance nor any indication of how the required reintegration programs will be funded.

The Office of the Secretary of Defense refused an invitation to send a representative to provide testimony on this issue. Instead, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Defense for Reserve Affairs provided a statement for the record that claimed that OSD is “in the final staffing of the Directive-Type Memorandum that will implement the Department’s deployment support and reintegration program.”

The National Guard Bureau is already prepared to implement a comprehensive national reintegration program. On January 29, 2008, LTG H. Steven Blum, Chief of the National Guard Bureau sent a memorandum to the Under Secretary for Defense for Personnel and Readiness pointing out that the National Guard Bureau had already created a template for a national program based on existing successful state programs, and offering “full resources of the National Guard Bureau to immediately implement a national home station transition support program for all Service Members and their families, but particularly those from the Reserve Components.” OSD did not reply to the memo. On June 2, 2008, General Blum sent a memorandum stating that “pending receipt of OSD/RA’s Yellow Ribbon implementation guidance, I have concurrence to publish interim Yellow Ribbon Service specific implementation guidance for the National Guard.” Attached to the memo was a detailed template for creation of reintegration programs designed to fulfill the requirements of the NDAA that General Blum directed be implemented.

Witnesses for the Guard, Army Reserves, and the VA testified that successful reintegration programs require cooperation and participation from DoD, VA, and the states. The witnesses testified that several states currently have successful programs in which, at least at the local level, the necessary cooperation and participation occur. However, Sergeant Major Janet Salotti (Ret.) of the National Guard Bureau testified that of the eleven states with Guard units scheduled to be deployed in the next year and a half, eight do not have reintegration programs.

“Although Congress required DOD to develop a single national program for providing support services to returning Guard and Reserve members, too many veterans are on their own when they complete a tour of duty,” said Bob Filner (D-CA), Chairman of the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs. “I applaud the states that have worked without implementation guidance from DOD to provide very effective programs, like workshops to reconnect with children, counseling for spouses and family members, marriage enrichment classes, and counseling on legal and financial matters. Every single returning veteran deserves to have access to comprehensive readjustment services for themselves and their families. We know there is a need. We know there are successful pre-existing models of support programs. Today we learned that we are falling far short of where we need to be to serve our troops and veterans. The NDAA is not a recommendation – it is the law.”

Witnesses:

Panel 1

* Patrick Campbell, Legislative Director, Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America
* Joseph C. Sharpe, Deputy Director, National Economic Commission, The American Legion

Panel 2

* Colonel Corinne Ritter, Director, Army Reserve Surgeon Forward, United States Army Reserve
* Sergeant Major Janet Salotti, USA (Ret.), Chief of Reintegration, Office of Joint Manpower and Personnel, National Guard Bureau
* Major General Marianne Mathewson-Chapman, USA (Ret.), Ph.D., ARNP, National Guard and Reserve Coordinator, Office of Outreach to Guard and Reserve Families, Veterans Health Administration, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs

Accompanied by

o Edward C. Huycke, M.D., Chief Department of Defense Coordination Officer, Veterans Health Administration, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs
o Alfonso Batres, Ph.D., MSSW, Chief Readjustment Counseling Officer, Veterans Health Administration, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs
o Karen Malebranche, Executive Director of OEF/OIF, Veterans Health Administration, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs
o Bradley Mayes, Director, Compensation and Pension Service, Veterans Benefits Administration, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs

Prepared testimony and a link to the webcast of the hearing are available on the internet at this link: http://veterans.house.gov/hearings/hearing.aspx?newsid=260.