Maj. Gen. Glenn K. Rieth (back row, second from left), poses with members of the New Jersey Army and Air National Guard contingent that deployed to New Mexico as part of Operation Jump Start. Photo by Lt. Col. Roberta Niedt, NJDMAVA/PAO.

It is every Soldier and Airman’s personal responsibility to stay healthy and be physically fit in order to be ready to answer the call, whether it is in support of the
Global War on Terrorism or responding to an emergency in our state.

I am a firm believer that good health is a key factor for our continued success in the many missions we face. I have seen this firsthand during my visits with New Jersey
units in Iraq and Afghanistan.

The leadership of the New Jersey Guard shoulders the burden of making sure that you receive the most current training available and that your units are properly equipped.
Squarely on your shoulders falls the requirement to maintain your physical, dental and mental health. With utilization of the National Guard at an all time high, the Department of Defense has stepped up efforts to ensure that every Guardsman returning from a deployment is healthy. The Post-Deployment Health Reassessment, or PDHRA happens several months after a unit returns to home station.

The PDHRA provides education, screening, assessment and access to care for a wide variety of questions and concerns that you may have concerning your health after a deployment. The goal is to identify any health or readjustment issues early to avoid or minimize any negative impact on your deployment status, career or life beyond
deployment.

The military has learned from the experiences of past conflicts that the mind can suffer more than the body. We need to erase the stigma for those who ask for help with
Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. PTSD is real.

With the mobilization of ever rising numbers of Garden State residents, the State of New Jersey recognized the need for increased emphasis on mental health issues. The
Department of Military and Veterans’ Affairs is ready to help with a toll-free counseling hotline at 1-866-VETS-NJ4U (838-7654) to provide PTSD assistance.

Also, all members of the Army and Air Guard and their families can take advantage of the resources offered at Military One Source’s toll free number 800-342-9647 or by
visiting their web site at www.militaryonesource.com.

Commanders, first line supervisors and unit members need to be able to identify the warning signs that one of our Citizen-Soldiers or Airmen is in trouble. Once identified,
that member of the Guard team needs to know that we want him or her to get the assistance they need and that we will support them through that process.

At the start of any sports season certain teams are looked upon as potential champions. Time after time a few injuries have dashed those predictions, taking possible champions down to the level of average or worse.

Those that don’t prepare, risk failure. The Guard entered our season five years ago and the battle against those who intend to do us harm continues. Just when the championship will be won is anybody’s guess. That is why it is so important that every member of our Home Town Team remains healthy in mind, spirit and body.