Minnesota National Guard soldiers work to readjust to civilian life after deployment

ST. PAUL, Minn. -- Two months after returning home from deployment, 80 soldiers from the Minnesota National Guard are still working to adjust to their return to civilian life.

From the Middle East to Minnesota, these soldiers say there are some difficulties when trading in the sand for the snow.

"After nine months, going back to the Middle East, you come back, it's hard to sleep at night. Physically. I talked to my son about it about it this morning. I'm like, 'I'm not sleeping good,'" Lt. Kodjo Djondo said.

That's why the guard hosted a reintegration event for these soldiers at Bethel University.

Having been back from Kuwait and Iraq since late January, they know what areas need some work. 

"Financial resource counseling to like maybe marriage counseling or parental counseling. Help us really figure out how to come back into a normal life since we've been gone for so long," SSG Miranda Willaims said.

For Lt. Col. David Johansson, this last deployment was his fourth. His first was in 2004, shortly after the conflict in Iraq began. 

"So the missions have definitely changed over time and then who we work with has changed over time. Going from standing up police forces back in 2004 to 2005 to now we're actually working with Kurdish and Asayish Regional Government soldiers or Iraq security forces. So it's a different dynamic," Johansson said.

Despite having four tours under his belt, he says it doesn't get any easier, which is why reintegration is so important.

"In truth, it actually gets a lot harder cause now instead of it just being myself and my wife - it's four human beings that are all impacted and then the externals. The neighbors and the extended families," Johansson said. "Cause when the career in the army is over, all you're left with is what you're building at the time, so the family is one part that I think is super important."

While deployed, the soldiers supported more than 9,000 personnel across four locations in Kuwait and Iraq. A second reintegration event is also planned for them.