Photo By Catherine Carroll | Sgt. Samuel White of the 395th Finance Battalion, his wife, Lela White, and two...... read more read more
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DENVER - The 88th Regional Support Command hosted more than 500 deploying and recently re-deployed Army Reserve Soldiers and their family members at a Yellow Ribbon event in Denver, April 11-13.
This purpose of the this event and the entire Yellow Ribbon Reintegration Program is to provide Soldiers and their families with needed information, services, referrals and outreach opportunities throughout the entire deployment cycle.
Michael Larsen, director of the 88th RSC Yellow Ribbon Program, said Yellow Ribbon events fill an incredible void for geographically-dispersed Reserve Soldiers and families, who do not have ready access to the same support network and programs as the active duty force.
Improving the program is an ongoing effort, which is steered by the feedback provided by participants. This practice helps ensure Yellow Ribbon events stay current for everyone and fully serve the Soldiers and families they are designed for, said Larsen.
“The feedback we get from Yellow Ribbon participants overwhelmingly reports their increased ability to communicate effectively as a family, manage stress and anxiety due to deployment, deal with financial and employment issues, and preparedness to continue their military service,” said Larsen.
In addition to the training, more than 40 Yellow Ribbon community partners were on hand to offer assistance and information to participants. These included representatives of multiple military and civilian resources, as well as employers and colleges.
Also on hand were Army Reserve ambassadors who provide strategic outreach, advocacy and advisory support to Army Reserve units, Soldiers and families throughout the country.
James Sherman, Army Reserve ambassador for the state of Colorado, has participated in multiple Yellow Ribbon events and said Yellow Ribbon is a great program to address deployment transitions.
“My father returned from World War II and many of my friends returned from Vietnam, and there was no program,” said Sherman. “It was a difficult transition for many of the families and for the veterans, and I am very appreciative of the government’s efforts to help families and Soldiers with their transition back to society. In the past, that hasn’t been done.”
Command Sgt. Maj. David Unseld, command sergeant major of the 88th RSC, stressed the importance of Soldiers and families attending these events so they can get the help or assistance that they need and may not receive anywhere else.
“The Yellow Ribbon Program prepares Soldiers and their families for what they may be able to expect while their Soldier is gone; what services are available to them during pre-deployment, deployment and post deployment; and how to take advantage of those services,” said Unseld.
Yellow Ribbon classes are tailored for various circumstances making them vital even for Soldiers and families who have attended them before. Those members also have a great opportunity to help improve the program for others, said Unseld.
“For those that have been on multiple deployments and been though several events on repeated occasions,” said Unseld, “they have the opportunity to be a great resource of feedback to help the RSC know what additional topics or information we can provide.”
Scott Snow, 88th RSC information management specialist, said all the survey information completed by the attendees is collected and used to ensure the training meets the changing needs of our Soldiers.
“Soldiers and their families tell us what they want to hear and what they are missing,” Snow said. “Then we adjust the program to address those needs. Especially with the multi-deployer’s tracks, that’s how we get the new information, from their feedback.”
Sgt. Maj. Michael Orticari, 88th RSC chief medical noncommissioned officer, has been with the Yellow Ribbon Program for five years, and said during his first deployment in 1990 there was no such thing as Yellow Ribbon.
“There wasn’t any support,” Orticari said. “You were just sent on your way with whatever you had to deal with on your own. So when the program was started, I thought what a wonderful thing, something so overdue. And to bring the family members along with the service member is very powerful.”
The Yellow Ribbon program makes it very easy for them to get connected with resources when they feel ready, Orticari said.
“Thirty, 60, 90 days after going though the demobilization process,” said Orticari, “the Soldiers are more open to getting help for themselves or meeting with an employer or education resource because now they’re home and they’re back into their lifestyle.”
The 88th RSC started the multi-deployers phase about a year ago as a direct result of attendees’ feedback on the program.
“When the Yellow Ribbon program started, most Soldiers had only been on one deployment,” said Orticari. “It fit very well. When you’ve been downrange two or three times it’s not that helpful to hear things over and over, so we put together a team to develop more pertinent information for these Soldiers. It seems to be pretty well-received.”
Lela White, whose husband, Sgt. Samuel White with the 395th Finance Battalion, just returned from his fourth deployment, said this is their ninth Yellow Ribbon event.
“I connect with a lot of community resources, community partners at the Yellow Ribbon Events, I know who to call when I don’t’ know someone in my immediate support group at home who can help. There is always a phone number I can call if I need something, I can find out how to get help.”
Lela’s husband deployed for the first time just three weeks after they began dating. Although deployment has become a part their life, Lela said she faced new challenges with having a 3-year-old and a 1-year-old at home during her husband’s latest deployment.
“The hardest thing I’ve done is learning to ask for help. I am very independent and I have two small kids, so I had to learn to call on my friends and family and say I need help.”
Even after attending numerous Yellow Ribbon events, Lela finds new resources and information.
“I still find it very helpful,” Lela said. “Every time I attend a Yellow Ribbon, I find something that I didn’t know before.”
| Date Taken: | 04.16.2014 |
| Date Posted: | 04.16.2014 14:47 |
| Story ID: | 126277 |
| Location: | DENVER, COLORADO, US |
| Web Views: | 492 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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