Homefront Magazine Issue July 2012 Pages 41-78

41JULY 2012 |

focus on respect. She credits it and her college experience for springing her into adulthood.

Six hours away from where she is doing morning pushups and situps lives Andrew Coleman — a college senior who experienced frequent moves as a military child, as Gray did.

His father is a retired Navy SEAL captain, who served for 26½ years. Coleman now calls Virginia home, as well, and has one sibling — an older brother who is a lieu-tenant in the Navy. His grandfather also served three years in the Army Air Corps after he was drafted dur-ing World War II.

Andrew Coleman might follow family footsteps; he’s considering joining the military if he doesn’t go to law school. But first, he’s finish-ing his studies in St. Augustine, Fla., at Flagler College.

The senior political science major remembers his father’s multiple de-

ployments, and the ensuing change of schools and switching friends.

“You don’t make any long-term connections; I don’t stay around people for too long,” Coleman says about his teenage relation-ships. “You know the longest you’re going to be there is two years. You always know you’re going to leave in two years — you don’t really get attached.”

His father, George Coleman, describes his son (Hunter to his family) as outgoing, talkative and witty. He believes these traits, along with his athletic abilities, allowed his son to adapt and meet friends.

“I coached many of the athletic teams that he played on in our vari-ous locations, and we have a close family that I think is very support-ive,” George Coleman says.

Andrew Coleman, a wrestler and swimmer, moved mostly in his adolescent years. He spent a year in Rhode Island during elementary

school, but mostly moved back and forth from Virginia Beach to Alexandria, Va. He lived in Tampa, Fla., for two years during eighth and ninth grade; and then moved to Alexandria, Va.; and for his final year of high school, he moved back to Virginia Beach.

Coleman attended three high schools in four years. He did play sports and attended junior prom, but admits that he missed out on some typical high school traditions. Coleman says by his senior year, when he moved back to Virginia Beach, he simply put his head down to get ready to graduate and prepare for college.

However, he acknowledges that being in college has changed his outlook.

“You put up roots, make more connections, easier connections that is, and better relationships,” he says. “It’s different; you can’t escape every two years, but I definitely en-

Andrew Coleman, left, and his brother, Chase Coleman, celebrate a North Carolina Thanksgiving in 2011 with their new puppy. Photo courtesy of Andrew Coleman

| HOMEFRONT MAGAZINE42

FLEXIBLE, RESPECTABLE AND INDEPENDENT — Alyssa Gray is preparing to commission as a second lieutenant, becoming a full-fledged member of a lifestyle she grew up in. After years of transitioning, many military families have learned to adapt to and embrace the challenges they face daily. Photo by Cameron Robinson

joyed college. I don’t find anything wrong with living in the same place for a while.”

Now 22, he’s grateful for the experience of being a military brat. Coleman says he’s glad he moved around, and that it’s not as hard as some may think.

He says the strength of his parents, especially his mother, Jen-nifer, helped the family manage the incessant moves.

Coleman’s father admits that the constant separation unfairly stressed his wife. Over his years of service, he completed eight deploy-ments, each about six months in duration. For each one he had to train in advance, which in some cases could last a year, with half of that time spent out of town.

“Over the course of 26 years, I

was not home for eight whole years while the boys were growing up,” he says.

He genuinely believes his wife deserves an abundance of acknowl-edgment for those times.

“I think that all of us have be-come very independent and flex-ible, as well as being able to plan things out better than most peo-ple,” George Coleman says.

Flexibility, the Rev. Charles McGathy agrees, is one of many benefits of being a child of the military. McGathy, the pastor at First Baptist Church in Madison, N.C., served 22½ years in the Navy, during which time he raised five children.

“You have to be flexible with the punches that life throws your way and be able to make changes

quickly and successfully,” McGathy says. “Independence is key. Every-thing about the military is about standing up.”

McGathy’s children all have had varying experiences. His two oldest children, Michael and Erin, expe-rienced the most change. Erin was born in Japan with dual citizenship, and Michael was born at the Naval Hospital in Twentynine Palms, Calif., near the Mojave Desert.

“We call him the desert rat,” McGathy says, laughing.

The two were not able to gradu-ate from the high schools of their choice because of their father’s constant deployments to differ-ent states and Europe, which was troubling for him.

“Personally, I always felt a little bad that I couldn’t provide that for

43JULY 2012 |

My children have seen all different types of geography, have met all kinds of dif-ferent people. They learn about the world from a whole different viewpoint.

— Rev. Charles McGathy

them,” he says about their lack of geographic stability. “But at the same time they got other benefits from it, and I think both Erin and Michael are very appreciative of those.”

He always knew a support sys-tem was available to him and other military families — especially since he spent much of his career as a part of that system. McGathy worked as a chaplain for the Marines and Navy, where his job was to provide ministry to families who needed counseling and help with adjustment.

“It’s always some type of adjust-ment; change is the one thing you always encounter in the military,” McGathy says.

“It’s hard to imagine when you don’t live in it, that every day it only takes a single email, a single tele-phone call, a ‘Hey can I see you in my office for a moment,’ for your entire life to change.”

After his first wife, Susan, died in 2000, he remarried a year later, and helped raise his current wife’s three children from a previous marriage. Shortly after the marriage, Mc-Gathy and his family moved from San Diego, Calif., to Spain for his final tour of duty, with the children still in elementary school.

Later, the family settled back in the States and moved to ru-ral North Carolina. McGathy says the three youngest children, Liam, Kevin and Noel, still live at home and have adjusted well to North Carolina.

The pastor believes command-ing officers have a difficult task making sure that their men and women do their best when they’re

not happy at home. That’s where he stepped in, providing guidance and assistance. He says that sustaining military families is no easy task, but that it can be done.

“The families who do adjust to that and do learn those things do fabulously well and really find the military to be a wonderful way of life,” he says. “But for many, many families it is a really difficult way of life.”

This rings true for George Cole-man, who thinks that although a military parent does often miss life’s little moments, there are many posi-

tive things about it that those who haven’t lived it wouldn’t understand.

Those moments were far too precious for Thomas Ross’ mother to sacrifice. Ross, a sophomore at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, is a member of Navy ROTC and lived on Camp Lejeune in Jacksonville, N.C., most of his life.

“When people ask who’s a mili-tary brat and I raise my hand, they say, ‘Well how many places have you been?’ and when I say none they’re shocked,” Ross says.

His father, Brian, served in the

Marine Corps for 21 years and was deployed several times, even serving two tours in Iraq. But Ross’ mother wouldn’t move. She was comfort-able and did not want her four chil-dren to face the transitions.

“It does make it easier growing up in a military town than always moving,” he says.

But Ross says even though he lived in one location, it was still hard adjusting at times. His clos-est friends are a part of military families because it is easier for him to relate to them. To him, military kids, understand things in a differ-

ent way from civilians. And McGathy would agree. He

says military children have a per-spective and other opportunities that prove to be advantageous.

“It causes one to view the world in an entirely different fashion than if one lived in a rather isolated society where you only kind of go and hang out with people just like you,” he says.

“My children have seen all dif-ferent types of geography, have met all kinds of different people. They learn about the world from a whole different viewpoint.”


Returning from deployment:

Easing the stress of reintegration

and getting back into civilian lifeBY RACHEL COLEMANPhoto courtesy of Chase Coleman

45JULY 2012 |

oin the Navy and see the world!”

Lieutenant Chase Coleman heard this

from countless recruiters before he decided to join the Navy. The chances to travel the world, visit ex-otic places and live away from home all draw thousands of Americans to join the armed forces every year. Coleman was no different.

“When you join the Navy, you expect to be deployed, and that’s what I signed up for,” says Cole-man, a naval officer who was stationed in Spain and the Persian Gulf for eight months in 2011.

But what happens after eight months of deployment, where troops are exposed to fighting, death, near-constant exhaustion and an overall new way of living?

For some, readjusting to everyday civilian life is extremely difficult. Aside from post-traumatic stress disorder, common side effects after deployment can include anger,

LIEUTENANT CHASECOLEMAN EXPECTED TO BE DEPLOYED WHEN HE JOINED THE NAVY — THAT’S WHAT HE SIGNED UP FOR. BUT what HE, ALONG WITH COUNTLESS OTHER SERVICE MEMBERS, DIDN’T EXPECT WAS THE readjustment period THAT CAME AFTER.

“J

Cutalong

thedashed

line


insomnia, anxiety, physical injuries, dependence on drugs or alcohol, and a general strain on relationships.

The Injury Prevention journal published a study that says U.S. Army suicides rose 80 percent dur-ing the five years after troop de-ployments to Iraq and Afghanistan, a rate that many are trying to slow.

“The recent increase in suicide rates may be viewed as the tip of the ‘mental health iceberg,’ sig-naling more prevalent underly-ing mental health problems,” the study’s authors wrote.

And while many service mem-bers face these side effects, not all members of the military experience the same thing.

“Personally, it was easy for me to adjust back to civilian life,” says Sergeant Jonathan Motilall, an Army Infantry Team Leader from the Bravo Company, 1st Battalion, 148th Infantry Regiment, who served two terms in Iraq and is now deployed in Afghanistan.

“After basically seeing the chaos that is Iraq, I felt sorry for its peo-ple and realized, ‘Wow, I’m a lucky person, and so is every American,’ ” Motilall says.

Regardless of you or your loved one’s position, it’s important not to ignore the changes that will occur after deployment. Pay attention to symptoms, and if you do find you or someone else having a hard time dealing with reintegration, seek help.

Make time for yourselfWhether you’ve been living at sea

or in another state or country, you’ve probably grown accustomed to being surrounded by people at all times.

“When you’re deployed, you’re sharing everything with 20 other guys — from the bedroom to the bathroom, nothing is truly yours,” Coleman says.

Returning service members often consider privacy a difficult concept to come back to. The Real Warriors Campaign, an initiative launched by the Defense Centers of Excel-lence for Psychological Health and Traumatic Brain Injury (DCoE), recommends setting aside time to rest before you rush back into everyday life.

“Initially, one of the hardest things to get used to was solitude,” Coleman says. “On a Naval de-stroyer, you are almost never truly alone, so it was a little eerie to spend a few nights by myself in my own room.”

Specialists at the National Mili-tary Family Association recommend looking into ways to manage your personal stress, whether through diet or exercise, as well as remembering to take care of yourself both physi-cally and emotionally.

“After I got back and had more free time, one of the hardest things for me was to keep running and exercising every day,” Motilall says. “It takes effort, but keeping this

kind of stamina will help both your mind and body stay in shape.”

Also, keep in mind that when a service member is returning from deployment, it’s not uncommon that the entire family will want to come visit and tell their military family member how much they’ve missed him or her. But no one who has spent the last year in war is going to want to play host to many family members, so take it slow. Start by reconnecting with your spouse or parents, then move on to friends and extended family.

Maintain relationships with your loved ones

When you return home and are faced with your family, spouse and friends for the first time in months, it’s hard to know how to act. Mili-tary members say that communi-cation is key after returning from deployment.

“The best advice ever given to me is to talk about your experiences with someone,” Motilall says. “A family member or friend who is there to support you will know the true you better than most, so it’s helpful to let them understand any of the problems you’re having.”

If you’re married, tell your spouse how you feel, and listen to him or her in return, advises the National Military Family Association. You’ve probably both grown more indepen-dent while away from one another,

47JULY 2012 |

Common side effects

after deployment can

include:

- Anger

- Insomnia

- Anxiety

- Dependence on

drugs and alcohol

- General strain on

relationships

Returning service

members may often

consider privacy a

difficult concept to readjust to, says the

Defense Centers of

Excellence for Psycho-

logical Health and

Traumatic Brain Injury

According to the

U.S. Department of

Veterans Affairs, one

military veteran will

die by suicide every

80 minutes

In one study, the

Injury Prevention journal said that U.S.

Army suicides have

risen 80 percent in

the five years after troop deployments to

Iraq and Afghanistan

Quick factsso personal space is important in keeping your relationship strong.

“Listen to your partner’s experi-ence. Learn how he or she has been living while you were gone. Let go of your expectations of how your partner should have behaved while you were away, and accept reality,” the DCoE recommends.

Bonding with children can also be a struggle. Whether you have an in-fant, a teen or an older child, it’s im-possible not to feel guilty for miss-ing out on part of your child’s life. Conflicts may also arise between the service member and the spouse, who has been raising the child while the other parent was away.

“My dad was deployed numerous times when I was a kid, and when he was home, he and my mom shared the workload, but he always seemed to be the ultimate authority between my brother and I,” Coleman says. “But when he left, he put the respon-sibility entirely on my mom. He may have been getting shot at, but she had to control two young children and manage a home.”

If you’re single, some service members say you will have an easier time readjusting to your life after returning from deployment.

“For a single guy, I didn’t have much problem readjusting back to my old life,” Coleman says. “Driv-ing a car was definitely a little weird at first, and it took a day or two to get back to my old, daily routine, but

overall it was relatively easy.”Coleman says the only big dif-

ficulty came when he was reunited with his friends, who he said had no idea what he had gone through for the past eight months.

“There may have been some slight awkwardness for a couple minutes when I first saw my friends, because I don’t think they knew how to act around me,” he says. “But after breaking the ice, we were laughing and joking like normal in no time.”

Get help if you need itThe hardest part of reintegration

is admitting that you or your loved one might need help. According to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, a military veteran will die by suicide every 80 minutes. And now that many veterans of Afghan-istan and Iraq have returned home, it’s important to focus on getting them the help they need.

Service members have many op-tions to choose from if they need help, from VA Medical Centers to social workers on base.

In this day and age, men and women in the armed forces can even get help online. In 2008, the National Center for Telehealth & Technology launched AfterDeploy-ment.org, making it possible for anyone to take online assessments that will recommend whether they need help treating certain problems


ONLINERESOURCES

If you or a loved one is having difficulty readjusting to life after deployment, don’t ignore it. These organizations can help:

Your local VA office (va.gov)

Defense Centers of Excellence (dcoe.health.mil)

National Military Family Association (militaryfamily.org)

such as depression or anxiety.Sherrie Lovely, the mother of

Michael Lovely, a 20-year-old Army private first class who com-mitted suicide in 2011, is doing her part in making sure others get the help they need.

Lovely donated $25,000 of the amount she got from the military after her son’s death to the Michael Lovely Scholarship, which will help students suffering from depression at the Goshen Crossing Educa-tional Center in Elkhart, Ind.

And Mary Corkhill Kirkland, who lost her 23-year-old son Der-rick to suicide after his deploy-ments, said in an interview with KOMO News in 2011 that her son should have received more help.

“My son did not want to die. He wanted help,” Kirkland told reporters.

“He was crying out for help.”Admitting that you or someone

you know needs help is the best thing you can do to make the rein-tegration process easier.

“If you, your spouse or other family members are feeling signs of stress, physical or emotional, it’s

important to seek expert help, and the earlier the better,” the DCoE recommends.

Readjustment doesn’t happen overnight

Everyone around you might feel like a stranger when you first get back from deployment. Maybe you’ve been gone for so long that your family and friends have had life-changing experiences that you knew nothing about, like having a baby or getting married. Take time to get back into the swing of things, and remember that your loved ones are glad to have you back, even if they don’t constantly show it.

“For the sailor, a deployment is like a pause in time — six months may as well be one day,” Coleman says.

In 2010, Linda Franklin, creator of “The Real Cougar Woman” blog, founded Shining Service World-wide, a support group for women in the military. Its popular “Power of 10” program helps women success-fully reintegrate back into civilian life after deployment.

“Too often our females in service fall through the cracks and don’t get the attention they deserve, or more importantly, they need,” Franklin says on the Shining Service World-wide website. “We want to help provide those resources for them.”

Coleman says members of the military can sometimes feel un-needed or confused as to what they should be doing when they return from deployment, which can often create tension in the household.

“When a deployed officer steps off the ship on the shores of his homeland, he expects things to be exactly the way they were when he left, and he may be even more perturbed to find he doesn’t have quite the same authority and power he had before,” Coleman says.

“And his wife, who had ultimate power for the past six months, may not like it if her husband comes in and tries to take over again. You can imagine the tension this might cause if a family isn’t ready for it, which is why it’s important to talk to people who can teach you how to cope with these issues.”

RESTAURANT & BREWERY | BACK BAR | THE GREAT ROOM

www.topofthehillrestaurant.com

{From our family to yours,thank you for all

that you do.}

29 | HOMEFRONT MAGAZINE

hen shrapnel ripped through the left side of Chris Ray’s body while he led a patrol in

Afghanistan, he considered himself lucky. Lucky he was alive, despite the wounds covering his body. Lucky he managed to roll into a ditch, escaping the small arms fire pouring in from the ambushing Taliban fighters. But, he says, mainly just

lucky that he was the only one in his squad who was hurt.

That concern for those around him is a trait that Ray, a corporal in the U.S. Marine Corps, says is one of his most important. It’s what allowed him to make it through months of combat, leading soldiers who were sometimes no more than 20 years old. It’s one of the things he prides himself on as a leader.

BY WILL DORAN

W

Wounded Action

Post- TraumaticStressDisorderREHABILITATION

ELIGIBILITY AND E N R O L L M E N TC

OST Tens of thousands

of troops have been wounded in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, and brain injuries are being noticed more than ever before. Added to the physical difficul-ties of rehabilitation is a backlogged Veterans Affairs system and an inefficient bureaucracy that sometimes keeps injured veterans from getting the best help. ME

DICA

L EVA

CUAT

ION

INSUFFICIENCIESDISABILITY AND COMPENSATION

QUALITY OF CARE

51JULY 2012 |

But it’s also a trait that disturbed him as he recovered from his injuries in various hospitals around the world, mainly at Camp Lejeune in North Carolina, while his squad continued patrolling.

“I felt guilty for going back home,” he says. “It wasn’t too fun being back in Lejeune when your guys are back in Afghanistan.”

As more and more men and women like Ray come back from their military service injured, many will undoubtedly experience similar emotions. And while dealing with those emotions takes time and care, those veterans will all also have pressing medical issues that local Veterans Health Administration hospitals will have to deal with on levels not seen since the Vietnam War.

And sometimes those hospitals can’t keep up.

Inefficiencies and worseIn 2007, The Washington Post

began releasing a series of articles and photos documenting neglect of patients at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, D.C. Patients were often kept in decrepit, moldy rooms full of dead bugs and mouse droppings after being discharged from the hospital but waiting interminably on the military bureaucracy to process them through the system.

Interviews with both those receiving care and those giving it out reflect the general view that medical care for veterans was top-notch. But the administrative side of it was ruining many recoveries.

Ray says that picture, of good medical care but poor administration, is accurate. He stayed at Walter Reed for a short time before it closed in 2011 and has been to several other VA hospitals — mainly the one in Durham, N.C., where he is from.

“Every time I go [to a VA hospital], it’s so inefficient,” he says. “But the Durham VA is actually one of the best,” which he attributes to help from Duke University and its acclaimed medical school. Ray says the care he receives in his monthly visits is stellar, but that the administration on local and national levels lags far behind, frustrating him to no end.

His main frustration, one echoed by veterans all over the country, is the wait time for the military to determine just how injured he actually is so he can start receiving disability pay. Ray has been waiting more than a year, and that’s not too much longer than the typical wait time.

“Active duty guys, they get taken care of all right, but once you get out, that’s where you could see some improvements,” he says. “There’s something about the VA… I don’t have many good things to say about them.”

Susan Watkins, the program manager for veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan at the Durham VA, says backlog and wait time are problematic but

can’t be blamed purely on VA administrators.

“That is a valid concern, and I wouldn’t say it has been completely made over,” she says. “But it has improved.”

She says that some soldiers come to the VA without having already started the process with the military, which is the first step. She also says the nature — and especially amount — of claims is rising, due in large part to increased awareness and medical advances.

“Claims are more complex than in the past,” she says, adding: “The workload is busy. But that means we’ve been doing our job well to do outreach.”

Thrown into the mixNeither Ray nor Watkins says

the system is perfect. Ray is more outwardly frustrated, but to comprehend his frustration, it’s important to understand more about his psyche, which probably isn’t much different from that of any other young man who has been designated to lead and protect his fellow soldiers.

It’s a mindset of intense care for others combined with a will to get things done well and efficiently.

Ray demonstrated the first part when he was simply glad he was the only one injured the day he got hit, and he demonstrated the second part barely moments after setting foot in Afghanistan for the

There’s just something about the VA… I don’t have many good things to say about it.

— Chris Ray, U.S. Marine Corps“


first time: He was told he would become his squadron’s leader and that they would be going on patrol in the morning. Ray was on his first combat tour and, as an enlisted man who was barely 21 years old, he had never held a command position before.

He still laughs almost nervously recounting the experience of being

Right: Ray’s squadron, “Badger 1-2,”before heading out on patrol in Marjah, a rural area in the Nad Ali District ofHelmand Province in Afghanistan.

Below: Corporal Austin Godwin (L), Ray (center), Sergeant Shane Burge (R) resting behind an embankment.

Photos courtesy of Chris Ray

thrown into the ultimate on-the-job training experience. But he shouldered his responsibility and grew because of it.

On day two in Afghanistan, while he was leading his very first patrol, his men got into a firefight. The squad didn’t sustain any casualties that day, but their luck would never continue, especially

with the amount of violence they faced.

In just four months in Afghanistan, Ray says he was in nearly 60 firefights — a rate of about one every other day. But despite the ever-present threat (and reality) of violence, or perhaps because of it, Ray says the lessons he learned from those four months make up an integral part of his character now.

“The responsibility that comes with that is amazing,” he says. “It was probably the greatest experience of my life… It was tough, but at the same time, it was the most rewarding thing.”

Ray’s time carrying out his newfound responsibility was cut short though, on Oct. 14, 2010.

Taking the point with his patrol, he noticed an old oil barrel on the side of the road with wires sticking out. Ray thought it looked too obvious to be a legitimate improvised explosive device, or IED, but protocol and safety

53JULY 2012 |

dictated he check it out anyway.The barrel was a fake, but it

served a purpose. It was a ploy, intended to lead soldiers like Ray into the path of a nearby hidden directed IED. Smaller than a traditional IED, a directed IED is buried underground and filled with metal and explosives, and intended for troops instead of vehicles. Ray likens the device to a subterranean shotgun in a can.

His sunglasses barely saved his left eye, and the shock of the blast broke his left shoulder. He also suffered massive nerve damage in his left ear. He says the only reason he lived at all was that the device wasn’t aimed properly. But he had no time to think about his brush with death — immediately after the explosion, Taliban fighters ambushed his squad.

He had enough of his wits about

him to roll into a ditch and escape the bullets whizzing past, and once his men fought the enemy off, they got him medical help.

He was rushed to a nearby hospital, then to two others in Afghanistan, one in Germany, and finally several in the U.S. in the ensuing month.

After a short time back in Durham, N.C., with his family and some light physical therapy, he was


sent to Camp Lejeune, where he says his only task was to do rehab every day for six months.

Guilt, tedium and perspective When Ray finally settled down

in Camp Lejeune, he had already exacerbated his broken shoulder rushing through rehab at a hospital in Afghanistan under the false hope that he might get sent back to his base if he recovered quickly.

Doctors also diagnosed him with Traumatic Brain Injury, or TBI, which many refer to as the “signature wound” of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan because of the large percentage of casualties from explosive blasts.

Watkins, of the Durham VA, says TBI has only recently come to the forefront of health care.

“The treatment didn’t use to exist, but now it does, and it’s here,” she

says. “And it’s exciting.”In a 2006 summit held by the

Navy, brain trauma took center stage, signaling an important recognition of the effect it can have on veterans.

“Very few injuries… can have such devastating long-term consequences as undiagnosed traumatic brain injuries,” Commander James Dunne, lead trauma surgeon at the National

55JULY 2012 |

‘cause I should be grateful,” he says. “I can still do what I could do before this.”

Ray’s doctors finally declared him fit in June 2011, and he went into the inactive Reserves. Two months later, he enrolled at The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, North Carolina’s flagship university, for the start of his freshman year.

Ray, now 23, says he has the desire — and experience — for a career in foreign policy.

“We have a bunch of politicians who’ve never seen combat sending

these kids off to fight, and [those kids are] coming back with missing limbs,” he says. “They don’t care, though.”

He was able to play intramural flag football and pickup soccer during his spring semester, for which he considers himself lucky. The most frustrating part of his life isn’t coping with injuries, but the associated bureaucracy. There are many contributing problems, from lazy administrators to overworked ones, as well as the red tape created by insurance and the federal government.

Ray says the process needs to change, mainly because of the incoming flood of younger veterans in need of treatment.

“There’s this entire new generation of young combat vets that they’re going to have to deal with.”

Naval Medical Center, said at the summit. “These individuals may appear fine but have problems with

relationships, holding down jobs and integrating back into society as a whole.”With that in mind, Ray says he

is thankful for the new emphasis on brain injuries, especially since he already had four or five concussions playing high school sports.

But rehabilitating his brain wasn’t his only concern: He couldn’t walk on his own when he first arrived on base, having to rely on nurses even to help him out of bed. He used a cane for the first two months and wasn’t able to jog on a treadmill until nearly five months had passed.

He also had to exercise his shoulder constantly or risk losing its mobility, and since the blast damaged balance-aiding nerves in his ear, he had to relearn how to walk straight and stand on one foot.

Throughout the process, guilt nagged at Ray for not being with his squad. He says they called him weekly to give him updates, but that didn’t shake his feelings of guilt until he heard of another member of his squad who was injured.

The young Marine lost both legs and several fingers to a 7-pound explosive. When Ray compared that to the 25-pound device that he had survived mostly intact, he developed a new perspective.

“I feel guilty when I feel guilty

the Benefits

Michael Redic, the transition patient advocate for the Durham Veterans Affairs Medical Center, believes the programs and ser-vices provided by the Durham VA makes an important difference in the lives of returning service members. And Redic knows firsthand — as a retired mem-ber of the Army, Redic describes helping veterans as “a calling.”

Through Operation Endur-ing Freedom/Operation Iraqi Freedom, Redic and his team help veterans take advantage of benefits that range from health care to education.

While the obvious adjustments involved in returning home include rehabilitation of mental and physical injuries suffered in combat, the adjustments regarding long-term health care, education, finances and employ-ment after service can cause just as much stress and can be time consuming. As transition patient advocate, Redic is there to relieve that burden, helping direct vet-erans to the services they need.

“We do everything that any other hospital would do for the veterans, with the exception that we go a step further,” says Redic. “We apply a military approach to care and it makes a great difference.”

Read more about the Durham VA on page 58

Start Here

I feel guilty when I feel guilty ‘cause I should be grateful.

— Chris Ray“


Graphics by Molly Sutherland

It’s unique for us in that there are no two veterans that are alike. We take one resource at a time to help them move on.

— Michael Redic, transition patient advocate at the Durham VA

“| HOMEFRONT MAGAZINE58

BY JAKE KLEIN

ne of the most difficult parts of being a U.S. military member is readjusting to life at home. There are physical, mental and financial hurdles that need to be conquered before veterans can properly move on with their lives. At

times, the paperwork and assimilation involved with returning home can be overwhelming. In North Carolina, the Durham Veterans Affairs Medical Center provides guidance at every turn to help the transition back to life at home run smoothly.

The Operation Enduring Freedom/Operation Iraqi Freedom wing of the Durham VA bustles with activity. Every day, Mi-chael Redic, a transition patient advocate, and his colleagues, guide veterans toward the benefits they need to move on with life after service.

“It all starts with the veteran and what he or she needs,” says Redic. “It’s unique for us in that there are no two veterans that are alike. We take one resource at a time to help them move on.”

O

The BenefitsStart Here

A look into the resources offered at theDurham Veterans Affairs Medical Center

59JULY 2012 |

the Durham VA uses this incentive as a way to open up new doors for returning service members.

“The fact that they won’t get any kind of a bill for five years is what we use to get them into the build-ing,” Redic says.

He says that once he is able to have a conversation with the veteran, the veteran usually begins to show interest in other available benefits.

In addition to the five years of free medical care, veterans may qualify for outpatient dental care or free dental procedures. This is a program that Redic hopes to make veterans more aware of. He says that the military focus of the hospi-tal makes veterans’ lives easier.

“We do everything that any other hospital would do for the veterans with the exception that we go a step further,” says Redic. “We apply a military approach to care,

On an average day, Redic and his team help veterans take advantage of benefits that range from health care to education. He and his col-leagues also provide information on vocational aid and readjustment assistance.

Redic’s primary function is to help as many veterans as possible take advantage of the Durham VA’s health care network. Redic says that the health care provided by the Durham VA makes an important difference in the lives of returning service members. Without the help of the Durham VA, Redic says he believes that many veterans would have a difficult time obtaining ex-pensive health and dental care.

Nearly everyone who has served in combat after November 1998 has the option of receiving health care through Veterans Affairs free of cost for five years. Redic says that

Photos by Rebecca Yan

and it makes a great difference.”Pete Tillman, public affairs officer

for the Durham VA, says that once a veteran asks to receive care, the information and benefit distribution really begins. In addition to pro-viding a comfortable environment where beneficiaries can receive a variety of medical assistance, the Durham VA offers group meetings and information about job fairs, rallies and other services. Redic says that the hospital is especially good at offering care and access to in-formation because the doctors and staff “understand how the military affects illness and injury.”

When it comes to the actual medical assistance, patients receive a broad range of care. Redic says that veterans are treated for acute illness and chronic diseases, as well as provided with preventive medi-cine and health maintenance. The

Faces of theDurham VA Michael Redic

Transition Patient Advocate

Pete TillmanPublic Affairs Officer


DurhamGreensboro

Winston-Salem

Asheville RutherfordtonFranklin Charlotte

Hickory Salisbury

Hamlet

Pembroke

Fayetteville

Wilmington

Jacksonville

MoreheadCity

GreenvilleRaleigh

ElizabethCity

Goldsboro

hospital also has a distinct program for women, ready to cater to their specific needs. Patients are even able to take advantage of treatment for alcohol, tobacco and other sub-stance abuse.

“The needs of our returning service members are broad, and we offer equally broad types of care here,” says Tillman.

Redic says that once the five years of cost-free care end, veterans are often at an important cross-road. Redic reaches out to veterans to make sure they are aware that the Durham VA offers recipients need-based, low-cost health care services that are available on a co-pay system. Redic then helps direct patients to the proper level of care based on their income. That system lasts for life. Redic says that the Durham VA focuses intently

on making sure that veterans are provided low-cost health care for as long as possible.

“We get some veterans that come in that aren’t necessarily in need of anything immediately,” says Redic. “A lot of times what I tell the vet-eran is to take information home and when they do need it, to give us a call. If they want the care, it’s always available.”

Once the immediate needs of health and safety are taken care of, Tillman says returning service members are concerned with their education and employment. The Durham VA provides numerous avenues for assistance in helping these men and women get back in school and find stable employment.

One of the most sought after benefits that Tillman handles is information about the Post-9/11

GI Bill, which Tillman describes as “revolutionary.” The bill allows men and women to pursue their dreams of a higher education and a better future. Every veteran who served active duty for at least 90 days is eligible to receive substantial aid to put toward graduate and under-graduate degrees, as well as voca-tional and technical training.

“The Post-9/11 GI Bill really took things to a whole new level with the education benefits,” says Tillman. “Each person has a par-ticular interest in using the benefit, and we help refer each individual to the right place.”

Redic works hard to make sure veterans understand specifically what they are eligible for. Tillman says that most service members who have served active duty since 9/11 are aware that they are eligible

North Carolina Veterans Affairs Locations

Graphic by Molly Sutherland

VA provides a wide range of benefits including, disability, education and training, vocational rehabilitation and employment, home loan guarantee, dependent and survivor benefits, medical treatment, life insurance and burial ben-efits. You may be eligible for VA benefits if you are a:

Veteran, veteran’s dependentSurviving spouse, child or parent of a deceased veteranUniformed service memberPresent or former reservist or National Guard member

What is Veterans

Affairs?Vet Center Community-based counseling clinics

There are four major, full-serviced centers

VA Medical Center

Smaller, specialized clinics associated with one of the four VA Medical Centers

Community Based Outpatient Clinic

61JULY 2012 |

to receive payment for full tuition and fees, but many are not aware that they are also eligible for a monthly housing payment, as well as an annual $1,000 a year stipend for books and supplies.

Tillman says the intricacies of the GI Bill are endless, and the officials at the Durham VA help make veterans

aware of how to use them all. He says that one of the newest, most exciting benefits of the bill is that “education benefits can be trans-ferred to veterans’ children if they don’t use it personally.”

For those veterans who have already obtained a degree, or feel more comfortable returning directly to the workplace, the Durham VA offers avenues to help find employ-ment. Though times are tough for

all civilians looking for work, Redic is encouraged by adjustments that employers are making regarding the hiring of veterans.

“One of the most difficult things right now is the area of employ-ment,” Redic says. “But the jobs issue is not unique to Veterans Affairs. One thing I will say is a lot more organizations are getting on board with being willing to hire veterans, and we help veterans find such employers.”

Tillman says that the Durham VA is currently attempting to add veterans to its number of employees as well.

For those veterans who decide that they no longer wish to work in a service-related field, there are also many opportunities. The Durham VA and its counselors have directed many of those in search of employ-ment to the U.S. Department of Labor. Returning service members

are given the highest level of atten-tion in regard to job finding and job training.

Finding a job in today’s economy is difficult enough. Finding one with no assistance after returning from active duty can be next to im-possible. The avenues of assistance that the Durham VA provides help returning service members lead fuller, more stable lives.

Stress is unavoidable. Health, family, money and work weigh on people daily. Combining those daily stresses with the stress of re-adjusting to life after service can be difficult. Military members should know that there is help available. People like Michael Redic and Pete Tillman, as well as organiza-tions like the Durham VA Medical Center, help those in need stay on their feet.

They act on their belief that every service member deserves to be rec-ognized for his or her sacrifices.

“We don’t have situations here where a veteran comes and knocks on the door and we say we can’t help you,” says Redic.

“We all go by the motto, ‘There is no wrong door here.’ ”

visit: http://www.durham.va.govcontact: Michael Redic at (919) 286-5952

More Information

Curious about the GI Bill? Learn more on page 74


Check out Homefront magazine for iPad at store.apple.com on June 1.

More content. Interactive articles.


This was taken in Valldemossa, a small village in Mallorca with architecture and lifestyle fairly typical of the Balearic Islands. Michael Douglas used to live there, so it’s become a bit more touristy than most towns, but it’s still very quaint, and I’d love to go back.

Traveling is definitely one of the most exciting parts of being in the military. You get to see so many places that you’d never think about visiting.“

After not seeing his loved ones for months, En-sign Samuel Brinson took his family on a Navy Tiger Cruise, where family members join the ship’s crew for a few days. Brinson and his family sailed on the USS Mesa Verde from Morehead City, N.C., to Norfolk, Va. This is the view from the bridge of the ship as it docked at Naval Station Norfolk after a 10 1/2-month deployment.

U.S. Marine Steven Hill was hired by the Navy to teach college classes aboard the USS Pinckney in 2006. In this photo, Hill was on land in Maui, Hawaii, while the USS Pinckney sailed in the distance.

POSTCARDS

PARADISEFROM

Members of the military agree that one of the biggest appeals of serving is traveling the world. We asked some of our read-ers to share photos of their favorite travel experiences, from sailing the Persian Gulf to celebrating a reunion with their family members in Norfolk, Va.

While stationed at sea in the Persian Gulf, Navy Lieuten-ant Chase Cole-man traveled to Mallorca, Spain.

Maui, H

aw

aii

mallorca, spain

Norfolk, Virginia

“Photo by Steven Hill

Photo by Linda Brinson

Photo by Chase Coleman

BY R

ACH

EL C

OLEM

AN

65JULY 2012 |

This is the Library of Celsius, which I had studied and seen pictures of in college, but it was so awesome to finally see it in real life.

In 2008, I was onboard the USS Mom-sen, another destroyer. We sailed around the Horn of Africa, off the coast of Somalia (yes, pirate waters), up the Red Sea and through the Suez.

““When Samuel Brinson found out he had a few days of rest to spend in Italy, his parents Linda and Lloyd Brinson quickly traveled there to meet him.

This is in the Puglia region of Italy in August while the Mesa Verde was in port at Taranto. [The photo] shows fishermen repairing their nets at the historic town of Gallipoli, Italy, on the Ionian Sea, not far from Taranto.

Coleman also traveled to Turkey while at sea, and the boat made a stop at Ephesus, an ancient Ro-man city rebuilt by the Turkish government.

Hill took this photo of the Seychelles Islands while on his second teaching mission in 2008.

Seychelles IslandsGA

LLIP

OLI, IT

ALY

ephesus, turkey

“

Photo by Linda BrinsonPhoto by Chase Coleman

Photo by Steven Hill

Graphics by Rachelle Branca

Lieutenant Colonel Megan Stall-ings just returned to the U.S. from a second tour in Afghanistan. She deployed to Kandahar from her most recent position at Fort Campbell, Ky., in the 101st Airborne Division. Last April, she left Fort Campbell and moved to North Carolina, where she started work in the Army ROTC program at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

The 38-year-old has served in the

Army for more than 17 years, work-ing as an adjutant general’s corps officer, which is a human resources officer.

Fun fact: Her husband has the same position she currently holds at a neighboring college — Duke University. “We have an internal little rivalry going on there,” she says, laughing. She and her hus-band have three kids, ages 14, 11, and 18 months.

BY CHRISTINA CLEVELAND

The extensive career of an Army officer and motherThe Long Run

Q&AHOMEFRONT: Why did you choose to join the Army? MEGAN STALLINGS: I was 17, and I honestly didn’t know what I wanted to do with my life, but I knew I wanted to do something that made a difference. I certainly had a lot of encouragement from my family to join the military. My brother was at West Point at the time. But, it wasn’t like I’d always grown up wanting to be in the Army or the military. I was just looking for a direction to go, and at that time, I didn’t have my own. I knew that one: The Army would give me one; and two: I’d be making a difference and serving our country at the same time.

HF: When did you realize this was the job you wanted to do?MS: When I was at Fort Steward, Ga. My first job as a second lieutenant is what’s called a strength manager. Basically it’s the person who, when new soldiers and officers come to Fort Steward, they establish their assignments and what job they’re going to do and what slots they’re going to fill. I actually felt like I was assisting people. I think that’s what I really love about my branch’s job is in the Army, it is all about customer service and making sure the individual soldier is taken care of. I’ve continued to enjoy it even though I’ve actually gotten a break from that work. That’s the thing I like about the Army: things change. There’s

66| HOMEFRONT MAGAZINE

For more information on Lt. Col. Stallings’ career visit:

http://armyrotc.unc.edu/cadre/

always something new to learn, so I can grow as a person.

HF: What is it like being a mom in the military?MS: Being a mom in the Army is hard. I don’t think there’s a single person, a single female, who would say that it’s easy. I think it’s the same for the fathers who are very involved with their kids. When I left my son when he was 5 months old — that was the hardest thing I’ve ever had to do in my life… (She tears up.) But you learn to deal with it, because I took an oath that said I would serve my country. Being in the military is not just a job — it’s a profession. It’s your way of life. So, you juggle all of those things. I’m lucky and blessed to have a husband who is helpful.

HF: Out of all of the assignments and jobs you have had, do you have a favorite?MS: They’re all different and rewarding in their own way. I would say the most enlightening job, the one that I’ve learned the most about myself, about the Army, about other people, was my last assignment when I was at Fort Campbell. It was my first job there, and it was also my first deployment overseas. When we deployed to Afghanistan, it was a joint unit, so it wasn’t just Army anymore. I now had Air Force, Navy, Marines, contractors and DOD (Department of Defense) civilians. It was so professionally rewarding because of the depth and breadth of my job description. I was working with officers from France, Australia and Britain. I had a much clearer

picture of the military as a whole. I was in charge of policies and programming for more than 60,000 soldiers, so it was the largest responsibility I had had in the Army.

HF: What is most important about military education? MS: The main focus is teaching leadership. We teach the cadets here in our school basic-level infantry tactics so that we have a mechanism to measure them and their leadership skills. The role of ROTC is to commission officers in the U.S. Army that can be leaders of our young soldiers who are in the Army. The majority of what the curriculum focuses on here is developing leadership attributes and understanding what it means to make good, sound decisions. And being a leader whether it ’s in the military, community or your family.

Photos courtesy of Megan Stallings

JULY 2012 | 67

Graphics by Kaitlyn Cook

Cadets frequently present work in front of their class, al-lowing for immediate feed-back from teachers and peers. Photo courtesy of Philip Tonseth


A day in the life West Point military cadet

By Jake Klein

of a

t 6 a.m., most college students across the United States are still sleeping. Not Philip Tonseth, a first-year student at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point. Tonseth is awake every day by 6 a.m., and by 7 a.m., Tonseth and his fellow cadets are in formation, ready for inspection and prepared to take on a day filled with intense academic and physical activities.A

69JULY 2012 |

Tut or ing

Unlike at other colleges, Tonseth is not referred to as a “freshman.” Rather, he is informally known as a plebe. Cadets at West Point are organized into a military-style brigade. As cadets progress through their four years, they assume more leadership responsibility each year. Plebes are cadet privates.

Tonseth’s education began in the summer of 2011, when he learned the discipline necessary to survive at West Point. He was required to attend cadet basic training before the fall of his plebe year. He says the 6½ week training period was one of the most difficult experi-ences he ever faced.

“Beast [the informal term for cadet basic training] was definitely difficult,” says Tonseth. “Going

from civilian life one day to waking up at 5:30 every morning and living such a structured life is not easy.”

Now, ready for his second year, Tonseth describes his days and weeks as “patterns.” Once morning hygiene is taken care of, Tonseth must make sure to maintain his quarters and his gear. Quarters must be dust-free, and boots must be polished to a high shine. In-spections can occur at any time, and if a cadet’s personal belongings are not deemed clean, the cadet receives demerits. Punishments can range from cleaning the campus to guard duty in full uniform. As demerits mount, punishment gets more severe.

After eating breakfast, Tonseth is consumed by schoolwork until

midafternoon. While most fresh-men attending colleges and univer-sities around the country take 15 credit hours during their beginning semesters and avoid morning class-es at all costs, Tonseth has averaged 18 hours his first year, and all of his classes begin before 2 p.m.

“The academics at West Point are one of the reasons I wanted to come here,” says Tonseth. “Classes are challenging. But when I was growing up, a good education was always stressed by my family. West Point is one of the top universities in the country, and I’m proud to be receiving an education here.”

After completing a core of arts and science classes as plebes and second-years, cadets select a ma-jor that they pursue for the rest of their career at the academy. Cadets graduate with a bachelor’s degree in the field of their choice and upon graduation are commis-sioned as second lieutenants in the U.S. Army. A sister academy at Annapolis, Md., the U.S. Na-val Academy, prepares officers for the Navy and the Marine Corps. The U.S. Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colo., trains Air Force officers.

Tuition to West Point is paid for in exchange for five years of ac-tive duty service and three years of reserve status upon graduation. All cadets receive a military education, which enables them to become competent officers, in addition to a civilian education. Tonseth says he plans to pursue a degree in Ameri-can politics, with a minor in sys-

Tonseth has a nasal pharangel slid down his nose. All cadets practice this exercise during basic training as a form of first-aid training. Photo cour tesy by Philip Tonseth


71JULY 2012 |

tems engineering. “It’s a difficult degree, but there is

plenty of help available if you need it,” says Tonseth. “The teachers and team leaders are here to make our lives easier.”

Team leaders are second-year mentors, and Tonseth says that communication with them is an essential part of learning how to succeed at West Point.

Cutting class is not permitted at West Point. If a cadet misses class, they accumulate more demerits.

Classes usually end about 4 p.m., at which point cadets participate in something with their company, such as intramural sports, personal exercise time or tutoring. Tonseth, an avid baseball fan, chooses to spend his afternoons performing the duties of head manager of the varsity baseball team.

“I’ve always loved baseball, so becoming the team manager was a no-brainer for me,” says Tonseth. “I set up the practice, travel with the team to away games and take care of the video during games. I also get to enjoy the facilities, which are much nicer than our

close-quarter dorms.”After practice, it’s back to the

dorms for homework and relaxation. Cadets cannot leave campus un-less granted permission. On the few weekends when plebes are allowed to leave campus, Tonseth says most of them travel home. Otherwise, cadets use free time on weekends to catch up on work, relax and exercise. Parties are strictly prohibited on campus, so cadets spend their eve-nings on campus reading, watching movies and sleeping.

Tonseth says that while he misses some things a civilian college would offer, the relationships he is de-veloping at West Point make the hardships worthwhile.

“Most people would never con-sider going to school here,” says Tonseth. “Those people don’t un-derstand that you wouldn’t develop the same closeness and camaraderie at any other school.

“People shouldn’t look at [West Point] like a prison — we know how to have a good time, too. I wouldn’t trade it for anything.”

dailypatterns

RISE AND SHINE06:30

BREAKFAST07:00

CLASSES

07:30-12:00

LUNCH12:10

CLASSES13:55-14:00

PRACTICE (IF DI ATHLETE)15:00

DINNER18:30-19:30

MANDATORY STUDY PERIOD

19:30-20:00

LIGHTS OUT20:00

FREE PERIOD OR BRIEFS,MEETING, TUTORING

12:55-13:45

Going from civilian life one day to waking up at 5:30 every morning and living such a structured life is not easy.

— Cadet Philip Tonseth

“


hile war often presents the inevitable threat of death, new life is also brought into this world

— and Captain Tiffany Johnson is on the front line.

Johnson, 33, is a certified nurse and midwife at the Womack Army Medical Center’s Obstetrics/Gynecology at Fort Bragg in Fayetteville, N.C.

Johnson began her career at Fort Bragg in August 2006 as a labor and delivery nurse, knowing that she wanted to be a midwife. She spent two years at East Carolina University in Greenville, N.C., training in the midwifery program.

“After graduating [from the program], I was in the hands of the military,” says Johnson. “I requested to go somewhere booming that had a lot of babies, and so I was excited that they placed me back at Fort Bragg.”

She works with women from the beginning of their pregnancy, sees them through their delivery and cares for them postpartum.

“I have a strong continuity with my patients,” says Johnson. “I love watching them and seeing how their bellies grow.”

Womack’s OB/GYN strives to provide that continuity and closeness for all its patients, whether it be an

Wactive duty service woman or the wife of a soldier. Johnson says they recently created a new program run by the midwives, called Centering, which aims to provide a sense of intimacy while patients go through their pregnancy. Women are placed into groups of 10 based on their due dates. They have the opportunity to receive checkups, as well as discuss with those in their group the progress of their pregnancy.

“Through this program, they find friends and learn a lot,” says Johnson. “Because of the closeness of their due dates, they eventually schedule play dates for their children.”

Johnson says many of the women she sees move to Fort Bragg from all over the country, often after their service member experiences a change in station. It can be especially difficult for pregnant wives to find the resources and information they need. Womack’s OB/GYN provides more than that — it provides these women with a strong support system.

Johnson has worked as a midwife at Womack’s OB/GYN for almost one year, delivering more babies into the world than she can keep track of.

“Everyone tells me I should keep track, but you deliver so many,” she says.

“I swear when I go home at night, I think I’m still hearing

miraclethe

babies,” she laughs.Which is just one reason why she

loves her job — the beauty of life.“With any job, you know your

passion,” she says. “But after you begin to do it, you ask yourself, ‘Is this really it?’ ”

But Johnson experienced a moment during her time as a midwife at Womack’s OB/GYN — a moment when she knew she had found her calling.

of

Tiffany Johnson with her patient’s new-born, whom she delivered on Nov. 29, 2011. Photo courtesy of Tiffany Johnson

lifeBY MAGGIE CAGNEY

73JULY 2012 |

2006

2007

2008

2009 335,303

29,553

25,833

28,231

29,553

305,665

338,338

310,044

340,754

314,864

336,347

311,364elsewhere

in hospitals

total

Greatest % of midwife

-attended births

smallest % of midwife

-attended births

http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/nvss/new_births.htmhttp://www.midwife.org/CNM/CM-attended-Birth-Statistics

midwife

1% to 8.1%

increased

1975 and 2002,

-attended births

from less than

states with highest and lowest midwife attendance

by the numbers

midwifery

midwife-attended births

midwives practicing 3,000 - 4,000

in the U.S. etween

She had volunteered to deliver an Army wife’s child. After the baby was delivered, the mother began to bleed out because of complications with the mother’s body and the pregnancy. But by a miracle, both the mother and the baby survived.

Johnson says this wasn’t the only miracle she witnessed that day — she found out that the father had been in an accident in Iraq, and the couple had been told that he could never father children.

“When the baby came out, the dad was crying,” she recalls. “Between the complications with the mom as well as the dad, I knew that child was meant to be here.

“That’s why I do what I do — even when science says there’s no way, a way is created. It was a miracle.”

Johnson describes the military families she has worked with in one word: strong.

“Military families are a different breed,” she says. “They are so strong, not only the soldier, but also the wife, taking care of everything at home so the dad doesn’t have to worry.”

But the strongest ones, she says, are the children.

“I think it teaches them resiliency,” she says. “I know it because I have one of my own who is 14. They are truly very special.”

War presents many challenges for military families, whether it is the constant moving from base to base, or the waiting for a loved one to return. But it is the little things that hold military families together — the miracle of a newborn baby, a small support group on base — helping them to cope and allowing them to live each day with hope. Graphic by Rachelle Branca


fter serving time in the military, many veterans find it difficult to assimilate back into their former lifestyle.

Some veterans want to go to school, while others desire to start their own business. But for every service member, there is the GI Bill.

As far back as World War II, veterans have relied on the GI Bill to provide them with financial as-sistance. After the bill was signed into law on June 22, 1944, return-ing veterans were able to receive a vast array of benefits that were not available to them in the past.

One of the major benefits that was included in the original 1944 GI Bill was tuition and living ex-penses to attend college, high school or vocational education. The benefits were available to any veteran who had been on active duty during the war years for at least 90 days.

ABY JONATHAN LAROWE

History of the GI Bill

Mak

ing t

he GI Bill work

f or you

1924

When the Great Depression hit the country in 1929, many World War I veterans found themselves struggling to make ends meet. To provide some much-needed aid, Congress decided to pass the World War Adjusted Compensa-tion Act of 1924. This allowed for a bonus for the veterans based on the amount of time that they served, but unfortunately, most veterans would not receive a penny for 20 years.

Janu

ary

10, 1

944

Harry W. Colmery, a former Republican National Chairman and national commander of the American Legion, drew up the first draft of the GI Bill. After it was introduced, both the House of Representatives and the Sen-ate created their own versions of the bill to debate together.

June

22,

194

4

President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed the Servicemen’s Readjustment Act into law after it was finally approved by Congress. The law, commonly re-ferred to as the GI Bill of Rights, only narrowly passed after members of Congress endlessly fought over provisions in the bill.

75JULY 2012 |

Goin

g ba

ck to school?

Years later, Senator Jim Webb deemed it necessary to add on to the GI Bill to cover veterans who served on or after September 11. Webb’s bill, known as the Post-9/11 GI Bill, was passed on Aug. 1, 2008. Any soldier who served at least 90 aggregate days on active duty after September 11 would be eligible.

The Post-9/11 GI Bill offers several education assistance benefits that were not covered in the original GI Bill. The three major benefits in-clude up to 100 percent paid tuition, no matter what education level you are seeking, a monthly housing sti-pend, and a stipend of up to $1,000 a year for books and supplies.

This added financial assistance can be extremely helpful for a young soldier who is returning home from the war and looking to start his or her life. But the Post-9/11 GI Bill can also be an excellent resource for

a soldier’s family as well.Through the Post-9/11 GI Bill,

veterans can transfer the benefits that they receive onto their chil-dren. For instance, a returning vet-eran who has already been through school can save the money received from the bill until his or her children are ready to attend college.

The GI Bill was revised again in 2011 when Congress passed the Post-9/11 Vet-erans Educa-tion Assistance Improvements Act of 2010. This new law, which is often referred to as the GI Bill 2.0, expands eligibil-ity for members of the National

Guard to include time served on Title 32, or in the full-time Active Guard and Reserve. The law went into effect on Oct. 1, 2011.

The GI Bill is meant to serve the countless number of veterans who have risked their lives defending this country. Whether it is a service

member looking to attend college, or a parent

trying to transfer benefits to his or her children, the bill is an important resource for our troops. The GI Bill is just

one example of the many ways in

which our country recognizes and appre-

ciates the dedication that is shown by our troops.

Apply for GI Bill benefits at gibill.va.gov

Meet the School Certifying Official in the Veterans Office

Take the College Level Examination Placement exams

Get involved with a Veterans group or start your own

1952

The Veterans’ Readjustment Act of 1952 was signed into law on July 16, 1952. The law provided benefits to veterans of the Korean War that served for more than 90 days and received an honorable discharge. One up-grade that Korean War veterans saw over World War II veterans was that they could receive both state and federal benefits.

1984

In 1984, former Mississippi Congressman Gillespie V. Mont-gomery took part in an overhaul of the GI Bill. In the new bill, known as the “Montgomery GI Bill,” veterans would now receive money to pay for college. Montgomery believed that the country should provide educa-tional benefits to its veterans because a college degree would make service members more valuable to the country.

2008

In 2008, the GI Bill was up-dated again to include service members who served on or after September 11, 2001. The revi-sions, known as the Post-9/11 GI Bill, were proposed by Sena-tor Jim Webb. The expanded benefits included the full cost of any public college in their state, a housing allowance and $1,000 a year stipend for books.

Graphics by Molly Sutherland


I t ’s a t i m e o f c h a n g e a n d b e l t t i g h t e n i n g i n A m e r i c a n m i l i t a r y p l a n n i n g . C o n g r e s s r e c e n t l y p a s s e d, w i t h b i p a r t i s a n s u p p o r t , t h e B u d g e t C o n t r o l A c t , w h i c h c o u l d c u t d e f e n s e s p e n d i n g b y b i l l i o n s , i f n o t t r i l l i o n s , o f d o l l a r s o v e r s e v e r a l y e a r s . U . S . t r o o p s a r e o u t o f I r a q . T h e w a r i n A f g h a n i s t a n i s w i n d i n g d o w n . B u t d e s p i t e t h e s e d o w n w a r d t r e n d s , t h e n e x t a d m i n i s t r a t i o n — w h e t h e r i t ’s h e a d e d b y B a r a c k O b a m a o r b y p r e s u m a b l e R e p u b l i c a n n o m i n e e M i t t R o m n e y — m u s t s t i l l t a c k l e s o m e i m p o r t a n t a n d d i v i s i v e i s s u e s o n f o r e i g n p o l i c y a n d t h e m i l i t a r y. We h a v e c o l l e c t e d t h e i r p u b l i c v i e w s o n s o m e o f t h o s e i s s u e s .

election 2012: what are politicians saying about the military?

issues

A F G H A N I S TA NT h e l o n g e s t w a r i n A m e r i c a n h i s t o r y h a s c l a i m e d n e a r l y 2 , 0 0 0 l i v e s a n d w o u n d e d t e n s o f t h o u s a n d s m o r e — a n d t h a t ’s j u s t o n t h e A m e r i c a n s i d e . A r e c e n t n a t i o n a l p o l l s h o w e d n e a r l y 7 0 p e r c e n t o f A m e r i c a n s s u p p o r t a w i t h d r a w a l f r o m A f g h a n i s t a n , a n d t h e p r e s u m -a b l e c a n d i d a t e s g e n e r a l l y a g r e e . T h e y d i f f e r, h o w e v e r, o n t h e d e t a i l s .

I R A NT h e c o u n t r y h a s b e e n i n t h e n e w s i n r e c e n t y e a r s p r i m a r i l y f o r i t s b u d d i n g n u c l e a r p r o -g r a m , a l t h o u g h i t s l e a d e r s a n d s c i e n t i s t s s a y t h e y h a v e o n l y p e a c e f u l i n t e n t i o n s o f u s i n g n u c l e a r m a t e r i a l s a n d t e c h n o l o g y d o m e s t i c a l l y f o r e n e r g y. I s r a e l a n d t h e U. S . d i s a g r e e , a n d I s r a e l h a s i n d i c a t e d a m i l i t a r y s t r i k e c o u l d c o m e s o o n . T h e n e x t U. S . p r e s i d e n t w i l l d e c i d e o u r r o l e .

F O R E I G N I N T E R V E N T I O NF o r d e c a d e s , A m e r i c a n p r e s i d e n t s h a v e a s s e r t e d t h e c o u n t r y ’s r o l e a s t h e “ Wo r l d ’s p o -l i c e .” T h a t m i n d s e t h a s b e e n c h a l l e n g e d s i n c e i t b e g a n , b u t r e c e n t l y p r o t e s t o r s i n t h e A r a b S p r i n g h a v e b r o u g h t i t t o l i g h t a g a i n , s a y i n g t h e y w o u l d r a t h e r f i g h t f o r c h a n g e w i t h o u t A m e r i c a n h e l p t h a n w i t h i t . T h e U. S . h a s t r o o p s i n 1 4 8 c o u n t r i e s w o r l d w i d e , w i t h a t l e a s t 6 6 2 b a s e s . H o w m i g h t a f u t u r e p r e s i d e n t h a n d l e o u r g l o b a l p r e s e n c e ?

W AT E R B O A R D I N GD e s p i t e t h e p r a c t i c e b e i n g p r o h i b i t e d i n t h e U. S . A r m y F i e l d M a n u a l a n d d e f i n e d a s t o r t u r e b y t h e U. N . , t h e d e b a t e o v e r w a t e r b o a r d i n g h a s r e s u r f a c e d a g a i n i n R e p u b l i c a n d e b a t e s . H o w a f u t u r e p r e s i d e n t w o u l d h a n d l e t o r t u r e i s i m p o r t a n t t o t h o s e w h o s e e i t a s i n d e f e n s i b l e , t h o s e w h o s e e i t a s a g i v e n i n w a r t i m e , a n d t h o s e w h o f a l l i n b e t w e e n .

BY WILL DORAN Photos by the White House, Gage Skidmore

77JULY 2012 |

candidates

stances

S a y s h e d o e s n ’ t a g r e e w i t h O b a m a ’s t i m e -t a b l e p l a n f o r w i t h d r a w a l , b u t h e h a s n ’ t d e t a i l e d a s e p a r a t e p l a n o r s a i d w h e t h e r h e w o u l d c o n t i n u e t h e c u r r e n t p o l i c y o r n o t i f h e i s e l e c t e d .

I s c u r r e n t l y w o r k i n g w i t h N ATO a n d A f g h a n f o r c e s t o m o v e U. S . t r o o p s t o a s u p p o r t i n g r o l e b y 2 0 1 3 a n d t o p u l l o u t b y 2 0 1 4 .

Wo u l d h o l d n ava l exe rc i s e s i n t h e Pe r s i a n G u l f, co nt i n u e s a n c t i o n s a n d co n s i d e r a m i l i t a r y o p t i o n . H a s p ro m i s e d I ra n w i l l m a ke a b o m b i f O b a m a i s re e l e c te d, b u t p o l i c y o b s e r ve r s p o i nt o u t O b a m a h a s a l -re a d y d o n e e ve r y t h i n g R o m n e y p ro p o s e s.

S a y s a p e a c e f u l I r a n i a n n u c l e a r p r o g r a m o n l y f o r e n e r g y i s a c c e p t a b l e . H e h a s p u t s t r o n g s a n c t i o n s o n I r a n a n d h a s s a i d a m i l i t a r y o p t i o n i s v i a b l e i f e v i d e n c e o f a b o m b s u r f a c e s .

I s v e r y m u c h i n f a v o r o f e x p a n d i n g d e f e n s e s p e n d i n g i n a p u s h t o i n c r e a s e A m e r i c a ’s m i l i t a r y p r e s e n c e o v e r s e a s . H e f a v o r s c u t t i n g h u m a n i t a r i a n a i d .

H a s t a k e n a s t r o n g s t a n c e i n f a v o r o f i n t e r v e n t i o n , s a y i n g i n h i s m o s t r e c e n t S t a t e o f t h e U n i o n a d d r e s s , “A m e r i c a r e m a i n s t h e o n e i n d i s p e n s a b l e n a t i o n i n w o r l d a f f a i r s – a n d a s l o n g a s I ’m p r e s i -d e n t , I i n t e n d t o k e e p i t t h a t w a y.” H e f a v o r s a i d o v e r m i l i t a r y a c t i o n .

H a s s a i d to r t u re i s u n a cce p t a b l e, b u t h e h a s n o t p u b l i c l y s a i d w h e t h e r h e b e l i e ve s wate r b o a rd i n g i s to r t u re o r n o t. A i d e s h ave s a i d h e d o e s n’t t h i n k i t i s , i n l i n e w i t h h i s s t a n ce i n t h e 2 0 0 7 R e p u b l i c a n p r i m a r y.

S a y s t h a t w a t e r b o a r d i n g i s t o r t u r e a n d s h o u l d n e v e r b e u s e d i n a n y c i r c u m -s t a n c e . H e b a r r e d i t s u s e o n h i s s e c o n d d a y i n o f f i c e , a l t h o u g h t h e C I A r e p o r t -e d l y h a s n ’ t u s e d i t s i n c e 2 0 0 3 .

B a r a c k O b a m aC u r r e n t p r e s i d e n t o f t h e U n i t e d S t a t e sD e m o c r a t

M i t t R o m n e yF o r m e r g o v e r n o r o f M a s s a c h u s e t t sR e p u b l i c a n

Documents

Homefront Magazine Issue July 2012 Pages 41-78