THEISIS: IN ORDER FOR ARMY RESERVE AND NATIONAL GUARD SERVICE MEMBERS TO BUILD RESILIENCE AND INTEGRATE INTO CIVILIAN LIFE AFTER DEPLOYMENT, IT IS NECESSARY TO CHANGE THE DEMOBILIZATION PROCESS.
ARMY RESERVE & NATIONAL GUARD MOBILIZATION PROCESS
The current mobilization and deployment process can take weeks to months in order to properly prepare Soldiers for their assigned mission.
Physical, Medical, & Tactical Preparation
i. Units are placed on alert.
ii. Orders are given and Soldiers attend a home station annual training to train, prepare, complete level one of the Soldier Readiness Process, and load needed equipment or supplies.
iii. Soldiers successfully completing Soldier Readiness Process I move to Level 2 and their mobilization station.
iv. Soldiers complete the technical and tactical training along with the last steps of the Soldier Readiness Process before mobilization or deployment.
ARMY RESERVE & NATIONAL GUARD DE-MOBILIZATION PROCESS
The process of de-mobilization has had little to no changes or improvements over the last 15 years.
Medical, Finance, & Re-integration
v. Soldier members arrive at their de-mobilization station after months of being away from friends and family.
vi. Soldiers receive many classes in a week’s amount of time.
vii. Soldiers work quickly to clear medical, dental, hearing, and vision screening.
viii. After 5-7 days at their de-mobilization station SM head to their individual units.
Recommendations to promote change and build resilience.
Army Reserve and National Guard De-mobilization process should resemble to mobilization process. For Soldiers to share concerns, build resilience, and be successful post deployment there must be a change in current processes. Soldiers should have a pass upon arriving to their de-mobilization station, families should be welcome to give them a homecoming. They should not be given a short time frame at the de-mobilization station; this would make them more open to share concerns and learn about all the resources or opportunities available to them after mobilization. Once Soldiers have cleared de-mobilization there should be a home station AT similar to mobilization. Financial, education, and medical classes could be given during this time as well as master resilience training. Re-organization and re-structure of the unit platoons, sections, and squads would take place during this time as well as developmental counseling in order to proactively determine any areas Soldiers may struggle with the integration process. Reservist and National Guard Soldiers are given 90 days before they need to report back to drill. This can be detrimental to those Soldiers that may be struggling. It would be beneficial to spread the drills out over the year, so they are not without the individuals they have been surrounded with the past year and feeling alone for 3 months. Proposed idea would be for SM to stagger the missed drills. After the 2-week home station AT Soldiers could be given the following month off. Then two other drills off at different times throughout the year or at appropriate times.