Ohio National Guard: Power in Numbers - Essay Sample

Introduction

One notable strength of the Ohio National Guard is in its numbers. The unit comprises of the Ohio National Army Guard and the Ohio Air National Guard, making up a body of a combined force of 17,000 officers. Such a population can make it possible to deploy the army men to serve concurrently in different locations in case of a disaster in more than one place at the same time (Bergman et al., 2019). The force ensures the education of its members through sponsorship into colleges and scholarships into other training institutions. Such education programs provide significant incentives during the recruitment and also in the retention of quality airmen and soldiers into the organization. Members of the guard also have counseling programs to aid soldiers in their preparation for the college-entry exams, standard exams, and other testing programs geared towards their careers (Bergman et al., 2019). Such a program has seen it remain attractive to potential service members.

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That the guard has allowed its members to live a double life of citizen-soldiers has made it also attractive. With such an arrangement, members can live healthy civilian lives and also perform their roles as soldiers, training for just two days in a month, one weekend, and the annual training of only two weeks during summer (Berggren et al., 2014). The body is renowned for its versatility, which has enabled them to serve both the country and the immediate community. They have also been able to help in overseas combat missions, reconstruction activities, and countering drug trafficking. With its speed, efficiency, and strength, it has always defended the ideals and freedom of the American people (Calabrese, 2017).

Given its existence among communities, the organization must give back to the same. In this front, the guard is actively involved in the cities, and always supports the participation of its military automobiles during processions, motivational speaking in schools and displays of their equipment during community events. Another is financial strength. A combined Ohio National Guard had total federal funding amounting to $ 616,909,664 as per the 2018 report (Ohio National Guard Annual Report, 2018).

Ohio National Guard has quite a several opportunities to explore in the medical field, given the rise of contagious diseases in several parts of the world and even the United States. The Covid-19 experience has shown the world, and especially the US, that it needs to escalate its infrastructural and human preparedness (Cid et al., 2018). The guard needs to train more of its members to serve in the medial wing to help combat such calamities. Other areas include national catastrophes like hurricanes and wars like in Africa, the Middle East, and the Asian continent.

Emergency evacuations like during bombings and collapse of buildings is an area most nations are not swift at, sometimes even in the US (Abir et al., 2017). The Ohio National Guard would explore this opportunity to offer training to people in such places to assist in events like this one. The existing goodwill and motivation to help the members of the guard by the communities they serve and live with are laudable. Even with a tax increase to cushion soldiers, professional counselors should assist the guards, their families, and their communities by preparing them to respond to the effects of such deployment. They are usually ready to offer direct assistance even to inform policymakers at all levels (Abir et al., 2017). Given the myriad of challenges the deployed soldiers go through, the solution cannot be family-based or federal government services. Hence the opportunity to assist as offered by the communities must be appreciated and explored.

Figure 1. A Vote to Increase Tax to Cushion Agency Members

Source: (Ames et al., 2011)

The agency hopes to continue serving the nation and to have its input felt in the entire country and beyond. In the meantime, it wants to advocate for the welfare of its members and their families (Ames et al., 2011). It also hopes to continue with the provision of a forum through which the army men can influence changes that can help in the prosperity of the agency. It also hopes to continue offering avenues through which the members can further their education and achieve personal goals in life. The body also would want to ensure that retired members have a conducive experience in the community, just like it is with the national war veterans (Ames et al., 2011).

Notable results will be that there will be a competent central command system to avoid chaotic scenes during responses to disasters or any humanitarian calls. The army will be able to ensure a quick and timely response and service delivery. Lastly, the force will be secure honour within America and beyond.

Conclusion

Henceforth, the body would want to maintain a disciplined force that can help nurture and use the energy of the youth for gainful purposes and the betterment of self and productive service to the entire nation. The agency should, therefore, ensure its central command is healthy to avoid chaotic scenes during responses to disasters or any humanitarian calls, be it within the US or abroad. The training of its member, so far laudable, must be strengthened to include more counseling so that the agency ends up with a team of the disciplined army. The role of members of this organization should also be well appreciated by society, as that will help boost their morale while serving the nation, and even when they come back home at retirement.

Reference

Ames, B., Smith, S., Holtrop, K., Hamel, J., MacInnes, M., Onaga, E. (2011). Meeting the Needs of National Guard and Reserve Families: The Vital Role of Extension. Journal of Extension, 49(5), 1-9.

https://joe.cfaes.ohio-state.edu/joe/2011october/a7.php#topAbir, M., Bell, S. A., Puppala, N., Awad, O., & Moore, M. (2017). Setting foundations for developing disaster response metrics. Disaster Medicine and Public Health Preparedness, 11(4), 505-509. doi:10.1017/dmp.2016.173

https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/disaster-medicine-and-public-health-preparedness/article/setting-foundations-for-developing-disaster-response-metrics/64DBC016D94F2507E24176EA03DF5A72

Berggren, P., Nahlinder, S. D., & Berggren, P. M. (Eds.). (2014). Assessing command and control effectiveness: Dealing with a changing world. Retrieved from https://ebookcentral-proquest-com.library.capella.edu.

Bergman, H. E., Chan, P. K., Cooper, A. A., Shirley, E., Goto, T., Fine, T., ... & Liberzon, I. (2019). Examining the Relationship Between PTSD Symptomatology and Cigarette Smoking Among Ohio Army National Guard Soldiers. Military Behavioral Health, 7(1), 46-56.

https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/21635781.2018.1556139?casa_token=_4WtLWW_fWAAAAAA%3Aj9j1odao8IOHxLrzWqu3_OPJyKx0v-2D8OUrX-Sk1ZCtuK20x_64irWxCtwRaLLstkuouP7RKTfsg7Vb

Calabrese, J. R. (2017). Early Intervention to Reduce Alcohol Misuse and Abuse in the Ohio Army National Guard. CASE WESTERN RESERVE UNIV CLEVELAND OH CLEVELAND United States.

https://apps.dtic.mil/dtic/tr/fulltext/u2/1043160.pdfCid, V. H., Mitz, A. R., & Arnesen, S. J. (2018). Keeping communications flowing during large-scale disasters: leveraging amateur radio innovations for disaster medicine. Disaster medicine and public health preparedness, 12(2), 257-264.

https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/disaster-medicine-and-public-health-preparedness/article/keeping-communications-flowing-during-largescale-disasters-leveraging-amateur-radio-innovations-for-disaster-medicine/749C84DEB1C0BC68E6970ECFE3B81C65

Ohio National Guard Annual Report. (2018). ONA Annual Report 2018. Retrieved from https://www.ong.ohio.gov/publications/annual-reports/2018.pdf.