By Mike Sarzo

As the war in Iraq begins its sixth year, stories about roadside bombs, the overall death toll for American troops and anti-war protests continue to provide their assault on the headlines.

One area that has recently garnered attention is a June 2007 Defense Department study that indicates that up to one in four service personnel could be diagnosed with post traumatic stress disorder. The study also reported that one in five military personnel will plan to separate or divorce from their partners within one year of returning from the war.

The numbers are chilling, but Maryland is working to combat the statistics. The state is working with the Maryland National Guard, which has its largest deployment since World War II in Iraq, to fund a post-combat support program similar to one provided for the regular military.

Congress voted to provide a program for National Guard members last year, but President Bush failed to fund it. However, the state will pick up the slack for its National Guard troops, providing $800,000 for the program.

"It's about taking care of our neighbors who live in Maryland," said Lt. Gov. Anthony Brown, a colonel in the Army Reserve who has served in Iraq. He cited his own experience of having returned from combat and said, "there are some challenges and potholes and pitfalls and surprises along the way for troops who leave the combat zone and return home.

In fact, Maryland was one of the first states to adopt the program. Currently, 10 states have a similar program in place. However, state budgets are limited and may vary in quality.

As some in the media debate the death toll – which is nearing 4,000 U.S. combat personnel – and disagree about how to handle an unpopular war, how we treat the men and women who work to protect us doesn't get enough discussion.

It's reprehensible that the Bush administration failed to fund the support program for National Guard members. This isn't about an interservice rivalry between regulars and the National Guard. This is about simple reality.

We must support all the people on the front lines who risk life and limb to protect our freedoms. Even if you disagree with the war, we should not condemn combat personnel to ostracism the way many people scorned those who served in the Vietnam War.

However, support isn't waving an American flag every chance you get. It isn't finding a yellow ribbon to apply to your car, your front porch or your lawn. Support means ensuring that people get the help they need to return to civilian life. It means letting people know you appreciate their service even if you disagree with the war they're fighting.

Having a national post-combat support program for the National Guard that has Congress's backing and the support of the Defense Department's could alleviate many of the post-combat difficulties National Guard personnel will face. It's not an issue of taking away the states' rights to do anything. It's about providing a standard of care for all of our uniformed personnel without treating any of them like second-class citizens.