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Vanessa Lamoureux
Mr. Rogers
U.S. Government
November 2, 2015
Reintegration Counseling
Before the United States was officially founded and recognized as a country,
soldiers were already fighting for the protection of all future Americans. Hundreds of
years later, brave men and women still take after their predecessors and risk their lives in
order to allow American citizens to keep their independence. Over time, the American
government has made several important and much needed military advances for soldiers
who are on active duty, like in terms of weaponry, but has neglected to do the same for
veterans and soldiers on reserve. Some people insist that because veterans and inactive
soldiers are not in combat zones, they no longer struggle with the trauma war creates, and
therefore do not need help from licensed professionals. However, just because a soldier
has returned home, does not mean the horrifying images and situations they have seen are
forgotten. Instead, they are constantly confronted by their past through unwanted
reminders of war in civilian society. Soldiers need reintegration counseling, consisting of
mental health screenings, daily therapy sessions, and classes on what to expect when
reintegrating into society, to help with their recovery process. Before soldiers are even
reunited with their families, they must be required to remain at their home base for two
weeks, in order to complete reintegration counseling, because the lifestyle of a deployed
soldier and inactive soldier greatly differ, numerous soldiers experience physical and

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mental health problems, and soldiers in the reserves face many adversities when
reentering society.
The personality and surrounding environment of a deployed soldier sharply
conflicts with those of a veteran or inactive soldier. Before soldiers are even sent
overseas, they spend countless months training and preparing for their entrance into an
atmosphere that will push them to their breaking point and pressure them into changing
their fundamental character.When men and women are led into combat, they are forced
to shut off all the emotions that do not directly assist in survival (grief, guilt, sweetness,
and gentle humor), in order to make gut-wrenching decisions needed to protect
themselves and their fellow comrades (Shay). When soldiers return to normal society,
they need to be able access their repressed emotions in order to actively participate and
thrive in their home life and community. By incorporating therapy sessions into
reintegration counseling, professionals can assist recently returned soldiers with turning
on their suppressed emotions and processing the overwhelming flood of feelings when
they do so. Therapy is extremely beneficial because soldiers are able to quickly realize a
major difference between the culture they are leaving, and the one they are entering,
causing them to take a step forward in their recovery as soon as they return home. While
in the military, soldiers live in an environment that is extremely disciplined and based on
order, strength, obedience, and commitment. When they return home, however, the
characteristics and practices they display are no longer chosen for them (Coelho). In fact,
after spending months or even years in a military environment that is radically different
from mainstream American society, military veterans often experience a reverse culture
shock upon returning to the U.S. (Duca). Soldiers often feel lost and confused when

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reentering American society because they quickly transition from an extremely familiar
environment, which dictates their every move, to a foreign environment, which gives its
residents free will. Free will is not a bad practice, it is just overwhelming for recently
returned soldiers. A two-week reintegration program would allow soldiers to slowly
readjust to an unfamiliar lifestyle without the pressures of pleasing their families and
fitting into society weighing down upon them. Reintegration counseling would help
solve one of the many problems soldiers face, allowing them to focus on their mental and
physical illnesses at home.
Soldiers often return to their loved ones with persisting emotional and physical
problems. The extreme circumstances of war and combat often affect a soldiers psyche,
leading them down a dangerous path of mental illness. Based on a study conducted by
the Pew Research Center, evidence shows that since September 11, 2001 (a terrorist
attack that killed thousands of Americans), 43% of soldiers had an experience that was
emotionally traumatic or distressing, and 56% of veterans who experienced a traumatic
event stated they experience flashbacks (Morin). In addition, of the 1.7 million veterans
who served in Iraq and Afghanistan, 300,000 (20 percent) suffer from post-traumatic
stress disorder or major depression (APA). When looking at these statistics, it is clear to
see that war leaves lasting damages upon the psychological component of its participants,
due to the brutal images and situations soldiers are exposed to in combat. Although not
all soldiers experience war-induced mental illnesses, or PTSD to the same degree, every
soldier leaves the military a different person than when they entered. Mandatory mental
health screenings for recently returned soldiers will be extremely beneficial since they
alert soldiers early on if they are predisposed to or are already struggling with mental

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issues. In addition to emotional problems taking root in the lives of soldiers, it is found
that during reintegration, physical symptoms include: trouble sleeping, stomach aches,
headaches, sweating, rapid heart rate or breathing, feeling of numbness, nightmares,
flashbacks, nervousness, fear, rejection, guilt, and anger (Wegner). When the stress of
once residing in a dangerous environment is combined with the process of learning how
to once again function properly in society, the result is so intense for some soldiers that
they begin to physically react. The therapy sessions conducted in reintegration
counseling will help soldiers process and accept the events of the past several months or
years, while classes will give soldiers a step by step plan on how to return comfortably to
society. This will alleviate a majority of soldiers anxiety, helping them to return to their
original healthy personality and physicality faster than if they had no help. However,
soldiers do not only have to worry about the possible mental and physical downsides
when enlisting, but also the way they will be received by society when they return home.
It is not the people who make reintegration for soldiers a difficult process, but
society itself. There are several important actions that need to be taken in order to
survive and thrive in this world. For soldiers, these components of reintegration are not
an easy process, with veterans having trouble keeping jobs and completing school, with
31% of veterans reporting an increase in alcohol and drug use, and with 57% of veterans
reporting a loss of anger control (Sayer). The trauma of war stays with soldiers, and
when some veterans start to feel pressure from society to move on, they become
increasingly agitated, overwhelmed, and may use drugs or alcohol as an escape. Their
potentially unhealthy choices also cause a stalemate in the completion of school, or
getting a job, which are necessary steps for building a life. Reintegration classes will

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show that transitioning to civilian life is not an easy process and can stir normal feelings
of anxiety and pressure. After leaving the military, veterans need to find a new career.
This is extremely distressing because veterans have to abandon the rank and
achievements they have worked their whole lives for in order to start a new profession
(Hill). For as long as a soldier has been in the military, it has shaped and given them a
purpose. But when they return home, their military identity is no longer existent, and
soldiers struggle to find a new identity (Coelho). Classes and therapy sessions will help
returning soldiers discover who they are outside of the military, and help them realize that
soldier is not the only word that describes them. A reintegration program will help
soldiers understand that they have not lost who they fundamentally are, and can help
them find their confidence and be prepared for the challenges they will face at home.
Although there are several legitimate reasons why reintegration counseling should be
mandated, some people still believe that additional help should not be given to the armed
forces.
Those opposed at mandatory reintegration counseling post deployment argue that
there is no need for such a program because all veterans have access to Veterans Affair
care, and will eagerly seek help when they begin to notice problems within themselves.
Not only is V.A. care falsely advertised, making it seem like care is guaranteed for any
soldier struggling mentally or physically, but people also refuse to acknowledge the idea
that a veteran can be too scared to ask for help. Despite popular belief, veterans who are
discharged under dishonorable conditions do not qualify for V.A. care (PTSD
Treatments). In addition, veterans have to serve 24 continuous months in order to qualify
for the V.A.s health benefits and services, unless they have been discharged for a

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disability incurred or aggravated in the line of duty, or for a hardship (Health Benefits).
No matter their circumstances, all soldiers have seen heart-wrenching images and should
have the ability to attend a program that aims to help soldiers recover from whatever they
have seen or done. It is unfair to leave a soldier suffering just because they were
dishonorably charged. Every single soldier deserves to receive help and heal from both
the mental and physical wounds of war. After they have returned home, many veterans
do not seek treatment for their mental health disorders because they are concerned over
being seen as weak, concerned over being treated differently, concerned that others will
lose confidence in them, and they are concerned about privacy (PTSD). In order for
soldiers to make tough decisions and not second-guess themselves in combat, the military
has created an environment that is built on strength and frowns upon weakness. With this
mentality pounded into soldiers for several years, their nature refrains them from asking
for help and causes them to become embarrassed when they cant correctly cope with
their experiences. Reintegration programs would give soldiers who do not want to
voluntarily come forward with their issues the opportunity to work through their
problems and explain that there is nothing wrong with being changed after living in a war
environment. Soldiers need a safe place to begin the healing process, and that safe place
is reintegration counseling.
When soldiers return to their home bases after deployment, reintegration
counseling must be mandated because it provides information on how to transition
between two contrasting lifestyles, provides help with health issues, and points out the
adversities they will face when returning to American society. Military personnel make
up a large majority of the United States population. If the government does not take

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action and provide valuable resources for soldiers in their recovery, many soldiers will
not receive the level of help they need while others will never seek help at all. This will
leave millions of U.S. citizens battling their demons and attempting to cope with trauma,
affecting society as a whole by preventing veterans from participating in their
community, contributing to the economy, voting, etc. Deployed soldiers put their lives on
the line every single day for America, and often face injury, loss, grief, and death. Every
soldier gives a piece of them when they enlist, and some soldiers give their all, so it is the
United States duty to protect soldiers when they are home. The G.I. Reintegration
Program Act of 2015 needs to be passed to show soldiers and veterans that the United
States appreciates their sacrifices, and to give back to the men and women who give so
much for their country.

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Works Cited
Coelho, Courtney. "Brown University." Returning Vets Face 'warring Identities' Distress.
Brown University, 18 Mar. 2014. Web. 24 Sept. 2015.
Duca, Kara. "Department of Applied Psychology." The Walking Wounded: Here-andnow Coping Strategies to Ease the Reintegration of American Military Veterans.
"Health Benefits." Veterans Eligibility -. U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, 29 Sept.
2015. Web. 18 Oct.
Hill, Janelle, Cheryl Lawhorne Scott, and Don Philpott. Life after the Military: A
Handbook for Transitioning Veterans. Lanham, MD: Government Institutes,
2011. Print.
Morin, Rich. The Difficult Transition from Military to Civilian Life. Pew Research
Centers Social Demographic Trends Project RSS. Pew Research Center, 8 Dec.
2011. Web. 17 Sept. 2015.
PTSD: National Center for PTSD. Mental Health Effects of Serving in Afghanistan and
Iraq. U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, 13 Aug. 2015. Web. 23 Sept. 2015.
"PTSD: National Center for PTSD." PTSD Treatment Programs in the U.S. Department
of Veterans Affairs -. U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, 14 Aug. 2015. Web.
18 Oct. 2015.
Sayer, Nina, Siamak Noorbaloochi, Patricia Frazier, Kathleen Carlson, Amy Gravely, and
Maureen Murdoch. "Reintegration Problems and Treatment Interests Among Iraq
and Afghanistan Combat Veterans Receiving VA Medical Care." Psychiatric
Services 61.6 (2010): n. pag. June 2010. Web. 24 Sept. 2015.
Shay, Jonathan. "When They Come Home." PBS. PBS, 1 Mar. 2005. Web. 24 Sept. 2015.

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The Critical Need for Mental Health Professionals Trained to Treat Post-Traumatic
Stress Disorder and Traumatic Brain Injury. American Psychological
Association (APA). American Psychological Association, 2015. Web. 17 Sept.
2015.
Wegner, Beth. The Difficult Reintegration of Soldiers to Society and Family After
Deployment. College of DuPage, 1 Apr. 2011. Web. 23 Sept. 2015.