As a Veteran myself who struggled tremendously after returning home from War in Iraq to becoming a civilian. This bill is dear to my heart. My Veteran Transition Bill would require all Active Duty Military to serve 2 to 4 years in the National Guard, Army Reserves, Navy Reserves or some Reservatist Unit before discharging from active duty.
When I left the Military, the biggest problem I had was the culture shock of transitioning back into civilian life. The Reserve Forces would allow for the slow integration of Soldiers back into society while still providing Soldiers with some structure of the Active Duty Military. Most reserve forces only meet once a month, this allows for accountability to the Soldier. These units would keep the Soldier around the commandery of their fellow Soldiers and that brotherhood environment.
The Veteran Transition Bill is a two part plan, Automatic Transference to Reserve Units upon discharge along with Mandatory Counseling for all Military personnel. 22 Veterans a day committ suicide most of these cases can be prevented with counseling, however there is no way to hold someone to seeking the help we all need after leaving the Military. Nonetheless, if we were still attached to the Military in some way after our service, we would be required to seek this resource.
PTSD is real, it has hurt so many lives, it is my hope that this bill helps to save lives in the future if implemented. I know these steps would have helped me, and after speaking to several other Veterans they have all agreed that these steps would have assisted them as well.