Your Sept. 25 article on UNC-Chapel Hill's Citizen Soldier Support Program accurately highlighted some of the findings of a recent internal audit, which revealed significant flaws with the administration of the program. As the member of North Carolina's congressional delegation who has been most involved in this program, I was disappointed to learn of these problems when they were brought to my attention by the university. I agree with Chancellor Holden Thorp's statement that they must be resolved right away.
However, the article gave short shrift to the positive accomplishments of the program, particularly its work to train the state's mental health providers to meet the unique needs of returning guardsmen and reservists. It also mischaracterized the role that Congress has played in supporting the program. At a time when our citizen soldiers were feeling the strain of extended deployments, UNC approached its congressional delegation with an innovative proposal to provide them with a comprehensive community support structure as they returned from combat. Like all funding requests I receive, I gave the proposal careful scrutiny and determined that it was worthy of the government's support. I wasn't alone in this assessment: Every one of North Carolina's 13 representatives also requested federal funding for the program.
I am confident that this audit will serve as a wake-up call for the university to take the necessary steps to ensure that the taxpayers' investment is effectively utilized and that our state's citizen soldiers get the support they were intended to receive.
