The casualties in Afghanistan and Iraq should never be forgotten and they should not be ignored - not on Memorial Day and not on any day. However, there are some additional casualties of The War on Terror that I fear have not received enough attention for the past several years. With thousands dead, it may seem inappropriate to discuss the problems of the living but I suspect each patriot that gave his or her life in the service or our country would appreciate our concerns for the families they left behind.

Of the over half million members of the National Guard and Reserve, approximately half have been mobilized in various missions during the War on Terror. Tens of thousands are now serving in Iraq and Afghanistan while others are waiting to be called up for another tour of duty. To respond to the shortage, the government has tried to improve the financial consideration with higher signing bonuses, improved medical and educational benefits, expanded retention bonuses, etc. However, the costs of service for many families are not what they bargained for. Prior to 9-11, the National Guard and Reserve had typical deployments for various civil emergencies and natural disasters within the American boundary lines that lasted about 2 weeks per year. Now we are counting on these groups to serve overseas for up to 15 months at a time.

For the average American, providing for a family and setting aside money for the children’s college education and retirement are a constant battle. Imagine then the challenges facing those families who are struggling for survival on the battlefront and the homefront. It’s impossible to not know someone that has been affected - a neighbor or a family member or a friend or a co-worker. In many National Guard and Reserve families, the soldier may have been primarily responsible for paying the bills or managing investments. Now they are absent and those roles are taken on by the remaining spouse. While some employers make up for lost pay, the military families usually see a significant decline in their incoming cash flow. Prior to being called up, a reservist may have been the primary breadwinner and after deployment, it’s down to military pay schedules. Spouses are left to make up the difference to keep the family afloat. That may mean getting a job, taking a second job, or working overtime. Somehow they manage to get it all done and keep their families strong.

And when a serviceman returns home from one tour of duty, you might think that the problems are in the past. Unfortunately, that is not the case. With continuing commitments and the government extending service due to the “stop loss” provision, it’s not so easy to just go back to work. While the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act of 1994 (USERRA) gives employees who take a leave of absence for active military service the right to get their job and benefits back, it’s not a perfect situation. Neither is getting a job when you have a continuing military obligation. Some surveys have indicated that over half of the responding employers would not knowingly hire members of the National Guard or Reserve because of the disruption and costs associated with an employee being called up. It’s wrong and discriminatory, but it happens. It’s also not so uncommon for the Guardsman or Reservist to put their career on hold until they are completely done which relegates them to jobs that are less permanent and less rewarding.

On Memorial Day, I thought it was fitting to talk about this subject. Maybe I should have saved it for a normal day when most Americans are less likely to think of the sacrifices that our military families are making for our benefit. While we may routinely focus on death counts and the devastating injuries and emotional distress, we cannot forget the financial casualties they are suffering during this war.