Lawmaker Seeks “De-Boot” Camp Following Tour

Lawmaker Seeks “De-Boot” Camp Following Tour
Terri
September 4th, 2007
In The News, Military

When reading this story, I was reminded of the program that the Minnesota National Guard does with their Troops as they return from Iraq and Afghanistan. Upon their return, they stay in the barracks for 3-6 weeks where they undergo debriefing and decompression time. Their families are an integral part of this process and it appears to be extremely successful; so much so, that it’s being considered as a program that may be used nationwide.

I’m all for anything that will assist our Troops in being able make the transition back into life at home easier for them. The more interventions that are in place and the more preventative programs that are in place from the start, the less problems we’re likely to see. I think the program that Representative Filner describes here would be a wonderful addition to programs that are already in place. I know that it would be tough, having to spend that much more time away from their homes, but having seen some of the problems that can result from suddenly thrusting our Warriors immediately back into life here at home, I think it’s something that should be given some heavy consideration.

In a speech he made on Wednesday, Representative Bob Filner, a Democrat from California announced that he will push a bill in Congress, to open camps that can possibly help prepare veterans for some of the difficulties that they face as they return from the war-torn regions of Iraq and Afghanistan. These camps, called “de-boot camps” or “Heroes Homecoming Camps” could be made a mandatory requirement for active duty Soldiers and could include their family members as well as others in their unit, according to Rep. Filner.

“When you leave the combat zone, you can be in Baghdad yesterday and tomorrow you are taking your kids to a soccer game. There is no time for decompression,” he said, pointing to the high rates of domestic violence, alcohol and drug abuse, increases in teh diasnosis of PTSD and TBI and a increase in the suicide rate. “We’re releasing a time bomb to the community.”
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