National Guards, First to Fight, Last to Rest

WHATEVER IS NEEDED, WHEREVER IT IS NEEDED
Wounded Times
Kathie Costos
September 20, 2014

WHATEVER IS NEEDED, WHEREVER IT IS NEEDED

National Guards

OUR HISTORY
The National Guard is a unique and essential element of the U.S. military. Founded in 1636 as a citizen force organized to protect families and towns from hostile attacks, today’s National Guard Soldiers hold civilian jobs or attend college while maintaining their military training part time, always ready to defend the American way of life in the event of an emergency.

OUR MISSION
National Guard Soldiers serve both community and country. Our versatility enables us to respond to domestic emergencies, overseas combat missions, counterdrug efforts, reconstruction missions and more. The Guard always responds with speed, strength and efficiency, helping to defend American freedom and ideals.

Army History

What is the oldest part of our Army?
The Army National Guard (In December 1636, the Massachusetts Bay Colony organized America’s first militia regiments, some of which still serve today in the Army National Guard.)
What did the U.S. Army begin?
June 14, 1775
Who was the first commander in Chief of the Continental Army?
George Washington
When was the start of the Revolutionary War?
19 April, 1775
When was the Declaration of Independence signed?
July 04, 1776
The Army received it's first real training from what former Prussian Officer at Valley Forge in the winter of 1778?
Baron Fredreich von Steuben

Next came the US Navy

Navy Birthday Information - 13 October 1775
Benjamin Stoddert, 1st Secretary of the Navy
The Chief of Naval Operations has stated that the Navy Birthday is one of the two Navy-wide dates to be celebrated annually. This page provides historical information on the birth and early years of the Navy, including bibliographies, lists of the ships, and information on the first officers of the Continental Navy, as well as texts of original documents relating to Congress and the Continental Navy, 1775-1783.

Next came the Marine Corps

"On November 10, 1775, the Continental Congress approved the resolution to establish two battalions of Marines able to fight for independence at sea and on shore. This date marks the official formation of the Continental Marines."
1st Commandant: Major Samuel Nicholas (1775-1783)

Then came the Air Force

The Army Reorganization Act of 1920 made the Air Service a combat arm of the Army, and the Air Corps Act of 1926 changed its name to the Air Corps on July 2 of that year. On March 1, 1935, General Headquarters Air Force (GHQ AF) assumed command of U.S.-based Air Corps tactical units, which previously had been parceled out to regional Army corps commands. Yet even after Germany, Japan and Italy began to build up their armed forces, the Air Corps (as well as the rest of the Army) remained a small, peacetime establishment with only limited funds for growth or modernization.

Maybe some really smart reader will explain to me how it is that the national media never really pays attention to any of this.
Suicide Rates Increase In National Guard, Reserves

Fighting suicide is Sgt. Maj. Bill Davidson’s full-time job.

“We just had a soldier a couple weeks ago that was suicidal,” Davidson said. “He was on Facebook. I got on with him on Facebook — not only me, but there was a team effort — you know, talked to him through Facebook and explained to him that it’s not worth sacrificing your life for something that time will heal.”

The program Davidson heads, called Resilience, Risk Reduction and Suicide Prevention, was started in 2010 in response to a dramatic national increase in suicides among active duty soldiers.

Since then, the number of active duty soldiers killing themselves has dropped while suicides have increased in the Reserves and National Guard. The Department of Defense recently reported the Army National Guard now has the highest suicide rate of any part of the military.  There have been almost 700 suicides in the last six years.

Not a good outcome considering they went up after this program started.

Overwhelmed by life
“One of the theories might suggest that coping strategies haven’t fully developed,” said Richard Doss, Ph.D., 416th Theater Engineer Command suicide prevention program manager, and a licensed clinical psychologist. “They haven’t had an opportunity to experience adversity and realize that they can overcome adversity.”

Doss also cited that in many cases, a sound financial system and personal support system hadn’t been established.

“They recently left home and are establishing themselves as adults so that transition period into early adulthood is challenging,” he said.

Doss said part of that transition happens when they return home and try to return to life as a civilian.

“They come from a military environment where many decisions are made them and now they have to make their own decisions,” he said. "It can be overwhelming.”

“Soldiers come back from making life and death decisions to ‘clean up on Aisle Nine,’” he said.

The truth is, no matter how tough you think the "regular" Army has it, or any other branch, the fact is the National Guard is the oldest branch. They were the first to fight and will be the last to rest.

Why? Because when the regulars leave the military, they don't have to put their lives on the line anymore. When a National Guardsman leaves combat deployments, they continue to risk their lives in their own communities.

Their "support system" is basically us, but we're too busy doing other things and watching Reality TV shows instead of paying attention to real life.

Next time a natural disaster hits your community, and you wonder when help is coming for your sake, you won't have to wonder long because they'll be there no matter how much you ignored them when they needed you.