Posted on 01/16/2003 9:17:47 AM PST by BruceS
Health care is sporatic at best, non-existent at worst. Reservists have lowest priority on totem pole, and even if they are activited, their families often are not linked into health care networks like active duty. Compounding matters, reservists often don't live within hours of a military base hospital. Getting enrolled in tricare is a nightmare enough for active duty folks. Often times, a reservist just activated, with a week to pack up doesn't have time to get his family enrolled. And he cannot enroll them in tricare until he's activated. So it's a catch-22.
Family support networks can be formed up, but they are informal at best. No funds are available such as in active-duty to support key-volunteer networks. There is no communal place such as a base for the wives to meet. In addition many reservists from one unit live in diverse geographic locations, making family networking nearly impossible.
Employer support is not guaranteed. In spite of the law, employers are lukewarm in their support of reserves - especially when there is repeated, long-term deployments. Reservists have no recourse except lawsuits when they are fired, and lawsuits take months, if not years to process.
The role of the reserves was NOT to be perpetually activated, continually filling in for manpower and OPTEMPO shortages. Until the mission of the reserves is aligned with the national strategy, and enough resources are allocated, we will continue to have these problems.
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