Movilizations made simpler

National Guard, Feb 2002 by Shuler, Eric

THE BOOKSHELF

Mobilizations Made Simpler

When Duty Calls

By Carol Vandesteeg Winepress Publishing 261 Pages

Carol Vandesteeg describes her book When Duty Calls as a guide to help active-duty, Guard, and Reserve personnel and their loved ones through military separations. I could not have described it any better. There are many resources available for a soldier to prepare for a call up; however, this book puts them all together in one place.

The author draws on her own experiences. Vandesteeg's husband was called up and they had less than two hours to prepare for his departure. She did not know where he was going or how to contact him. My wife and I have tried to plan for the possibility of a mobilization, but we focused on the material and not on the emotional impact. This book brings to light some of the everyday things we take for granted. The million-and-one mundane tasks you and your spouse do in the course of a day come to light. These tasks now have to be done by one person.

I have two small children, Michael, 7 and Stephen, 5. What do you tell your children? I certainly did not have a clue. This book gives a wealth of good advice and resources to help you answer that question.

When Duty Calls also helps with other emotional issues related to military service. As a former company commander, I once had to deal with the death of a soldier from cancer. Unfortunately, most of our military training focuses on achieving a mission. The book provides some good insight on the loss of soldier and a family member when called up. My personal experience reveals that the loss of a soldier negatively impacts the morale of the entire unit. What do you tell the widow and her children?

The book begins with a call up and concludes with the homecoming of the soldier. There is very good acronym dictionary at the back of the book-which all by itself is worth the book's cost.

When Duty Calls should be essential in your deployment kit. Whether you are deployed for homeland security or shipped overseas, you and your spouse will have a handy guide to help you through a difficult time.

Guard FACT

More Guardsman (50,095) were on homeland security duty last month than served in the Persian Gulf (42,723) during Desert Storm.

Source: National Guard Bureau

By Capt. Eric Shuler