Rebuilding the All-Volunteer Military

by: Bobby Muller - Veterans For America

Tue Nov 11, 2008 at 15:41


As our country celebrates this Veterans Day, all of us should reflect on some sobering realities.  Over 1.7 million men and women have deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan in the past seven years, nearly half from the National Guard and Reserves.  Almost one-half of the members of the National Guard and Reserves return from deployments experiencing some form of post-combat psychological injury.  Frontline combat units of the Army and Marine Corps are serving their fourth and fifth tours.  Recruitment standards have dropped to the point where less than 83% of Army recruits have high school diplomas.
Bobby Muller - Veterans For America :: Rebuilding the All-Volunteer Military
President-elect Barack Obama is preparing his administration's transition into office.  It is vital that he understands the body blows that the all-volunteer military has taken.  If the United States is to maintain a force consisting of volunteers, deployments must be reduced dramatically, the dwell-time between deployments must be lengthened, and the care for the wounded and their families must grow exponentially.

Today, VFA has released The American Veterans and Servicemembers Survival Guide to assist veterans and current members of the military. Too many troops and veterans are unaware of their rights and the benefits and programs available to them.  The Guide is available to download free here.

The government that sends its sons and daughters to war is also the government that is responsible for them.  Deployment policies that knowingly compound psychological wounds and reduce readiness are not acceptable.  v

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