Minnesota servicemembers attend Beyond the Yellow Ribbon event in Duluth

  • Published
  • By Tech. Sgt. Scott G. Herrington
  • 148th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
DULUTH, Minn. --  Nearly 50 Airmen and Soldiers from the state of Minnesota attended a Beyond the Yellow Ribbon event at the Fitgers complex in Duluth, Minn. Sept. 19, 2011. The event was part of the on-going initiative to assist in reintegrating deployed servicemembers after a deployment.

For many, the event was a refresher--this was not the first time they had deployed, and this was not the first time they had heard the information being presented.

However, the health and well being of the nation's servicemembers is not taken lightly, and the event served to remind those repeat deployers of the tools available to them.

"I can testify to the fact that this program has and continues to not only save lives but has had a tremendous mitigation and preventative outcome and impact on psychological disorders and adjustment disorders," said Bill Maloney, the 148th Fighter Wing's Director of Psychological Health. "It has helped bring out into the open the common difficulties, adjustments, supports and resources available to members and their families based on their exposures during deployments. The Beyond the Yellow Ribbon is one of the most significant policy implementations for our modern 'warriors' well being," said Maloney.

In addition, representatives from the Veterans Affairs Office and the Minnesota Assistance Council for Veterans (MACV) spoke about the benefits available to those that have deployed. Topics ranged from VA loan eligibility to the importance of documenting any service-connected injury or disability.

148th Fighter Wing Mission Support Group Commander Col. Penny Dieryck spoke to the group about the changes back home in the recent months.

"The Beyond the Yellow Ribbon Program is an event that brings families in contact with the services available to them as veterans," said Col. Dieryck. "The Yellow Ribbon Program is the locomotive at the front of the train that brings all these services to the station for the personnel to pick up off the rail cars."

For more information on the Beyond the Yellow Ribbon campaign, go to the website at http://www.btyr.org/.