It is not a huge secret that the reliance on Reservists and National Guard is taking a toll.  I alluded to this earlier, when I asked people to think about who are soldiers are.  With so many Reservists now augmenting the Active Duty rolls, nearly everyone knows someone or at least knows of someone who has been activated.  Forget six degrees of separation, the Army is pulling people out of your neighborhoods to go and serve.  If you live in a town like Martinsburg, West Virginia, you probably know several people - or more - who are now serving overseas.

A recent USA Today article on Martinsburg really highlights a lot of the broader impacts of the Reserve callups.  Those hardest hit - besides, of course, the families of soldiers - are small businesses.  Although the Federal Goverment provides protection for its citizen soldiers, ensuring that they have a job to return to, it provides minimal assistance to small businesses who rely on these people as key employees.  Many of these businesses find themselves forced to hire someone to fill the position (1 year and longer deployments are certainly a factor), only to then have two people in the job when the soldier returns.  Reservists who are sole-proprietors or otherwise heads of business fare even worse; there may be no business to return to upon their return.

Even if we ignore these broader economic consequences of such a large Reserve activation, the impact on individual families can be devastating.  Families living well within their means in their civilian lives might suddenly find that their earnings are cut drastically when they are on the military payroll.  Although many will argue that you cannot make an apples to apples comparison of salaries, because the military provides so many additional benefits, the fact remains that many Reserve families are too remote to take advantage of these benefits.  Obviously, most of us cannot just move to base housing, or find cheaper quarters to match our new income levels for the duration of the deployment.  Yes, the military provides a housing allowance, but that, in the case of Reservists, is based on the average of where you live, not your own costs of housing.  As for medical benefits, the military does provide decent benefits - if you are in a location where you can recieve them and if you can find a physician to work with in your area if you are not near a military treatment facility.  Discounted shopping at the commissary or the PX:  our nearest facility is a four hour drive.  The list goes on and on.  Good benefits, IF you can take advantage of them, and usually Reservists are not in an optimal position to do so.

So what is a Reserve family to do?  Well, in most cases, you just work a little bit harder to take up the slack and try not to have your deployed spouse worry about the family finances.  (Believe me, they have enough else on their plates.)  Unfortunately, since you are now a single-parent household, you have to rely even more upon childcare.  Not to worry, the military provides free child care.  On base.  If you can get through the waiting list before the deployment (and this century) is over.  But at least one lawmaker is addressing this issue.  Senator Patty Murray has introduced a bill that will allow (but does not guarantee) subsidies for childcare for the families of Reserve soldiers during deployments.  Such a measure would be a great victory, even if limited in its application, because it would recognize the strain that the reliance on Reserve forces is placing on their families and their communities.

Please don't misunderstand me - Reserve and National Guard families are very proud of our soldiers.  We know the commitment that they have made to serve when our country calls, and the commitment that we, as family members, have made to support them, even when that call takes them far away from home for long periods of time.  But we appreciate any efforts that can lighten our burdens and keep our communities strong while they are gone.  Thanks to Senator Murray for her efforts on our behalf.