Yellow Ribbon program focused on helping reservists, families

  • Published
  • By Lt. Col. Rich Curry
  • 507th Air Refueling Wing
Wing members returning from long deployments are finding the welcome mat waiting for them. 

A congressional directive passed in the last Defense Appropriation Act mandated additional deployment support and reintegration programs are provided for Reserve Component members and their families.

The new program, called the Yellow Ribbon Reintegration Program seeks to minimize the stresses of military service and specifically stresses encountered as the result of deployment and family separation. AFRC headquarters officials have directed that all AFRC wings enact this program by September 30th. 

The concept of reintegration was perhaps most noticeable as an organized, structured process during the ending days of the Vietnam War as military receptions and programs were established to help POW returnees resume normal, professional, family and community activities with minimal physical and emotional complications. While returning POWs received support, a larger majority of combat veterans did not. Since that time, officials have greatly increased their knowledge concerning the stresses associated with military life and combat, both for the service members themselves as well as their families. 

The Yellow Ribbon Program is designed to provide support and outreach services to Reserve component service members, their families and communities throughout the deployment cycle. This program places particular emphasis on preparing service members and their families for the stresses associated with separation and deployment, educating members and families about resources available to assist them, and connecting members to service providers before and during deployments. 

The focus shifts to reconnecting service members with families and communities for successful reintegration following deployment. 

In addition to wing pre-deployment activities, the wing program will conduct reintegration activities after demobilization or the end of a deployment for all members who are mobilized or deployed for 90 days or more. Members will receive appropriate pay and allowances for attending these deployment support and reintegration activities. The wing will make every effort to encourage family members to attend these events. 

The wing kicked its Yellow Ribbon Program during July's redeployment of the 507th ARW Security Force Squadron personnel during their return from Kirkuk, Iraq. Since their return, other wing members for a variety of squadrons have been met upon their return. 

"We've met every redeployer, so far, and by the end of the month (September) we will have 60 returnees home safely," said Major (Lt. Col. select) Bonnie Tremblett, 507th ARW Performance Planner. She said returning members are immediately entered into the reintegration program. 

According to David S.C. Chu, undersecretary of defense for personnel and readiness, providing such support to families -- both near and far from military facilities -- is "crucial to our long-term military success."