Fighting New Battles - Arkansas National Guard

The Arkansas Minuteman“My goal is to ensure our service members get the helpthey need,” said Sgt. 1st Class Mary Myers, state familyprogram director for the Arkansas National Guard. “With thisprogram, there is no rank involved…no intimidation…no papertrail.”While the 39th offers a large percentage of the targetaudience for the program, the workshops are available for anyuniformed service member who has served on a deployment.Service members interested in participating in one of the community-basedworkshops can contact Sgt. 1st Class Myers formore information at (501) 212-4102.“Our Soldiers and Airmen are the most important assets wehave,” said the adjutant general of Arkansas, Maj. Gen. DonC. Morrow. “Even the best equipment is useless if you don’ttake care of the men and women who operate it. We want toensure that all of our service members, and their families, havethe tools to overcome any health problems resulting from theirservice.”Service members in need of immediate assistance in relationto symptoms of post traumatic stress are encouraged tocall the Veteran’s Administration Readjustment CounselingServices Center between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. at (501) 324-6395.For immediate help after hours, a service member can call theVA at (501) 257-1000 and ask for the emergency room. Thereis no requirement for prior PTSD diagnosis in order for militarypersonnel to use this service.“There is nothing more important to us than our Soldiers,”said Ross. “They have endured an amazing sacrifice for theircountry that took them away from their families for a year anda half. The very least we can do is provide them the assistancethey need to ensure their good health and well being. If oneof my Soldiers has back problems because of this deployment,we’re going to get that Soldier help. If one of them hasnightmares because of it, we’re going to get them help. It’s ourresponsibility to do whatever it takes to take care of these menand women.”Facing Page: Lt. Col. Kirk VanPelt addresses men of the 39thBCT’s consolidated 2nd and 3rd Battalions during a PurpleHeart Ceremony in Taji, Iraq in September 2004. Nearly 300Soldiers with the 39th were awarded the Purple Heart forwounds received in combat. The Soldiers of the 39th areparticipating in a health reassessment to help identify thosein need of follow up care.Above: Maj. John Stubbs completes his Post DeploymentHealth Reassessment at the Searcy Readiness Center on Jan.8, 2006. The 39th is participating in the reassessment in orderto identify Soldiers that may be in need of follow up caredue to physical, behavioral or emotional problems occurringas a result of the deployment. Stubbs served as the commanderof the 39th BCT Company C, 3rd Battalion , 153rdInfantry during the brigade’s yearlong deployment to Iraq.Left: Lt. Col. Cary Shillcut (top left), Commander of the 39thBCT 2nd Battalion, 153rd Infantry, looks on as his Soldiers sitthrough a post deployment health reassessment briefing onJan. 8, 2006.Summer Fall 20052006 Page 29