Gunner's Blog

Washington, D.C. In a letter to David S.C. Chu, Undersecretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness, Third District Representative Walter B. Jones addressed recent concerns about abuse rates in military families in the areas of Cumberland and Onslow counties.  He thanked the Secretary for the Department of Defense's efforts to help remedy the situation, and he asked for more specifics regarding the DoD's counseling programs offered to Soldiers, Sailors, Marines, and Airmen.  

During Congress' August recess the Secretary of the Navy, Gordon England, joined Jones on visits to Cherry Point and Camp Lejune, at which time Jones was struck by a young Marine who asked Secretary England, “What is the military doing to provide counseling to troops in the field, as well as when they return?”  Jones raised the question at a recent House Armed Services Committee hearing with Junior and Mid-level Army and Marine Corps officers but decided to also write Chu after recent statistics by the North Carolina Child Advocacy Institute showed that children of military families in Onslow and Cumberland counties are twice as likely to be killed by their parents.

In the letter Jones asked for a numerical breakdown, by service, of the number of servicemen or women who have voluntarily undergone counseling and, of the number that have entered counseling, the amount that are currently receiving treatment.  He asked for the figures based upon the first rotation of personnel returning from Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF-1).     

“We need to make sure that these brave, young men and women are made aware of all the resources available to them to help deal with the stress of such a demanding job,” Jones said.  I appreciate the efforts by Secretary Chu and the Department of Defense, and I just ask that they continue to keep the health and safety of our troops an utmost priority.”               

For additional information or to schedule an interview with Congressman Walter B. Jones please contact Kristen Quigley at (202) 225-3415.