Dear Army Reserve Soldiers and your families

Dear Army Reserve Soldiers and your families:

Welcome Home, Warriors! We thank God you are home again with your families and friends. Well done!

Your deployment has been long and difficult, but your valiant efforts have contributed greatly to the cause of freedom. I am very proud of what you have done, and I know your family and friends back home share that pride.

I want you to know how important you are to your unit and the Army Reserve. The same "buddy system" we use on the battlefield is important after a deployment, too. A simple phone call or e-mail asking, "How are you doing?" may help a fellow Soldier on a difficult day. Soldiers look out for each other--on deployment and at home, as well.

If your employer, like many around the country, has been supportive of you and your family during your deployment, I encourage you to say "thank you" in a tangible way. Recommend your boss for a Patriot Award from the National Committee on Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve (ESGR). You can submit the application online at www.esgr.org.

Your friends and family need you--and so do we. Your unit needs your experience and leadership as it begins to reconstitute. Our Nation is still at war and, even at home, your service is still valued.

Thank you, again, for serving your country in a time of need. May God bless you, your family, your employers and the United States of America.

James R. Helmly

Lieutenant General, US Army

Chief, Army Reserve

COPYRIGHT 2004 U.S. Army Reserve
COPYRIGHT 2005 Gale Group