Montana National Guard

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Montana National Guard
Colonel Jeff IrelandDirector Manpower and
Personnel Operation Outreach presented
for 20 July 2008
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Missions of the MTNG
President
Governor
Missions
STATE
FEDERAL
Life Property Peace and Order Public Safety
National Security
Adjutant General
COMMUNITY
Local, State, and National Programs that add
Value to America
Youth ChalleNGe, STARBASE, Heritage Outreach,
Drug Demand Reduction
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Strength
I will always place the Mission First
I will always place the Mission First
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National Guard Locations
AIR NATIONAL GUARD
TOWNSEND
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ARNG Deployments

• Operation Noble Eagle (Homeland Security Type
  Missions)
• Airport Guardian, Olympic Guardian, Border
  Guardian, Falcon Guardian, Force Protection.
• 1-190th Field Artillery provided 250 Soldiers for
  Military Police duty at Ft Lewis, Ft Richardson,
  Ft Wainwright, Ft Riley, and Ft Bliss.
• 1022nd MED CO (Air Ambulance) provided AVN SPT to
  Fort Carson, CO
• Hurricane Katrina Response
• Operation Jump Start Southwest Border
• Operation Enduring Freedom
• Individual Mobilizations (ANA ETT)
• Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT)
• Operation Iraqi Freedom
• HQs 495th Transportation Battalion
• 3669th Maintenance Company
• 143d MP Company
• 639th Quartermaster Company
• 1022d MED Co (Air Amb)
• 1-163d Infantry Battalion
• Troop E 163rd Cavalry
• 1-189th Aviation
• Det 41, OSA

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Operational Activity of the MTARNG
1,390 Soldiers Mar 05
MTARNG Soldiers Peak Deployments
Jump Start SWB 435
As of Sep 07
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Worldwide Deployments
Ft. Richardson Ft. Wainwright
Germany
Kyrgyzstan
Ft Lewis, WA Ft Riley, KS Ft Bliss, TX New Mexico
Salt Lake, UT New Orleans, LA Ft Carson, CO Ft
Polk, LA Wash, DC
Iraq
Afghanistan
Saudi Arabia
Bahrain, Qatar, UAE
Kuwait
Oman
Since 9/11/2001 Over 2000 Soldiers Deployed
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Homeland Security Missions 2001-2007
Border Guardian
Airport Guardian
Falcon Guardian
MPs
Force Protection
MPs
Olympic Guardian
Avn Spt
Operation Jump Start
Hurricane Katrina Response
MPs
MPs
MPs

• Operation Noble Eagle (Homeland Security Type
  Missions)
• Airport Guardian, Olympic Guardian, Border
  Guardian, Falcon Guardian, Force Protection.
• 1-190th Field Artillery provided 250 Soldiers for
  Military Police duty at Ft Lewis, Ft Richardson,
  Ft Wainwright, Ft Riley, and Ft Bliss.
• 1022nd MED CO (Air Ambulance) provided AVN SPT to
  Fort Carson, CO
• Hurricane Katrina Response
• Operation Jump Start Protection of SW Border

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Deployment Process

• Pre-Deployment
• Deployment
• Post-Deployment
• Reconstitution/Reintegration

I will always place the mission first
I will always place the mission first
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Deployment Risks

• Each Deployment
• Introduces Stressors
• family job environment unknowns
• Exposure to variety of traumatic events
• combat injuries death
• Increases risk to physical and mental wounds
• mild Traumatic Brain Injury (physical)
• Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (mental)

Physical and Mental Toughness
I am physically and mentally tough
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Post Deployment Process

• Health Assessment at Demob Station
• Post Deployment Health Reassessment
• 90-180 days after returning to home station
• Focus on physical and behavioral health status of
  Soldiers and Airmen AFTER deployment

I am a guardian of freedom and the American way
of life
I am a guardian of freedom and the American way
of life
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Operation Outreach
History

• Loss of SPC Christopher Dana in March 07
• Need for Program Evaluation
• Creation of Post Deployment Task Force
• Creation of National Guard Working Group

Christopher DanaBorn June 26, 1983Died
March 4, 2007
I will never quit
I will never quit
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Operation Outreach

• PICKING UP THE PIECES
• MONTANA NATIONAL GUARD
• PUBLIC AFFAIRS PRODUCTION

Selfless Service
Selfless Service
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NG Challenges after Deployment vs Active Duty

• Support Network
• Fully integrated vs fragmented
• Access to Medical Care
• Individual Deployments vs Unit
• Attendance/Visibility
• 365 days vs 1x month and 2 weeks per year

Values
I live the Army Values
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Geographic Challenges
ME
Montana Area 147,046 Sq Miles Eastern MT
67,500 Sq Miles VA WV 67,000 Sq Miles PA
46,058 Sq Miles
Bangor, ME
NH
VT
NY
MA
CT
PA
RI
OH
NJ
MD
WV
DE
VA
Arlington, VA
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Federal Service Timeline

• 1855 1870 1885 1900 1915 1930
  1945 1960 1975 1990 2005
  2007

22 Years
Spanish American War
WWI
WWII Vietnam
Gulf War
1868 1902
1914 1918 1939 1945
1959 1975
2001
I am an expert and a professional
I am an expert and a professional
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Post Deployment Task Force

• Governor Schweitzer and MG Mosley
• Convene a Task Force
• Goals
• Evaluate Current Reintegration Programs
• Issue Report with Findings and Recommendations

I am an American Airmen
I am an American Airmen
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PDHRA Task Force Report

• Convened April 2007
• Larry Winslow, VSO Representative Eric
  Kettenring, VET Center
• Joyce Decunzo, DPHHS Joe Underkofler, VA
• Julie French, MT HOR Darren Nealis, Ctr Mental
  Health
• CH Jack Haas, St. Peters Hospital Dan Weinberg,
  MT Senate
• Koryn Arnold, VA Brian Garrity, Gov Off
• Joe Foster, MT Vet Affairs
• Report Issued June 2007
• 11 Findings
• 14 Recommendations

I will never accept defeat
I will never accept defeat
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PDHRA Task Force Process

• Weekly Meetings
• Background and Information from MTNG
• Service Member Survey
• Public Meeting

I will never accept defeat
I will never accept defeat
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PDHRA Task Force Report

• Report Issued June 2007
• MTNG following or exceeding National Guard Bureau
  requirements
• Processes fell short of taking care of returning
  service members

I will never accept defeat
I will never accept defeat
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Task Force Recommendations

• Evaluate medical status before discharge
• Allow Guardsmen to request honorable discharge
• Thoroughly review all Guard PDHRA personnel files
  for completion

I will never leave a fallen comrade
I will never leave a fallen comrade
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Task Force Recommendations

• Expand the PDHRA Process
• Mandate VA Healthcare System enrollment
• Guardsmen receive awards and medals w/in 90 days

I serve the people of the United States
I serve the people of the United States
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Task Force Recommendations

• Send badge information to DoD w/in 90 days
• Include mental health focus in training
• Increase awareness of available resources
• Create Crisis Response Team

I will live the Army Values
I live the Army Values
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Task Force Recommendations

• Allow drill attendance upon return home
• Increase informal support systems - Vet2Vet
• Enhance Family Readiness Program
• Form partnership with State Veterans Groups

I am disciplined
I am disciplined
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PDHRA Campaign Plan

• National Guard Committed to Accomplish ALL Task
  Force Recommendations
• Campaign Plan is the MTNG road map to
  accomplishment

I will never accept defeat
I will never accept defeat
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PDHRA Campaign Plan
Accomplishments

• Modified discharge policy
• Checklist and discharge review process (Command,
  Legal, Medical)
• Developed Crisis Response Teams
• Modified PDHRA Process
• Extended PDHRA process out to 2 years

and destroy
I stand ready
to deploy
the enemies of the United States
I stand ready to deploy, engage, and destroy the
enemies of the United States
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PDHRA Campaign Plan
Accomplishments

• Mandated enrollment into VA system
• Suicide Prevention and PTSD/mTBI Training
• MTNG - Suicide Training September
• PTSD Awareness Supervisors and Managers
• MTNG - PTSD/mTBI Outreach Training Contract
  October and November 2007

Leadership
Leadership
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PDHRA Campaign Plan
Accomplishments

• Hired a PDHRA Program Manager
• Implemented Annual Periodic Health Assessment
• Redesigned individual mobilizer process

I am trained and proficient in my warrior tasks
I am trained and proficient in my warrior tasks
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PDHRA Campaign Plan

• Expanded Family Resource Centers Helena,
  Missoula, Great Falls, Glasgow, Kalispell,
  Billings
• Conducted Statewide Community Outreach
  Presentations

Accomplishments
Selfless Service
Selfless Service
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PDHRA Campaign Plan

• Established a pilot program with TRIWEST to
  locate behavioral health providers in Helena and
  Great Falls
• June 2008 through December 2008

Accomplishments
Selfless Service
Selfless Service
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Importance

• Force Protection (mental and physical)
• Future Deployments
• Future State Activations
• Future National Disasters

I am trained and proficient in my warrior tasks
I am trained and proficient in my warrior tasks
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Community Effort

• National Guard looking to partner with
  communities to make program successful
• Medical
• Ministerial
• Veteran Services Organizations
• State
• Federal
• Employers

Community Partnerships
Community Partnerships
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Operation Outreach

• How can the MHA help?
• Raise awareness for PTSD Signs and Symptoms
• Provide resource referral to service members in
  need

Leadership
Leadership
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Operation Outreach
Resources and Contacts for Veterans, their Family
and Friends
Signs and symptoms of PTSD
Service Before Self
Service Before Self
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Resources/Information
Support Programs

• Military One Source www.ceridianprovidersolutions.
  com
• TRIWEST Healthcare Alliance 800-447-7828 x3600

I will never quit
I will never quit
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Montana National Guard