BOLTON LANDING, N.Y. -- Michael Moore spent most of 2008 at war in Afghanistan, training the Afghan army and police. He's been home for about 30 days and already feeling the pressures of everyday life.

“It's a lot more complicated. It's just simpler over there. We just knew what we were doing everyday. They told us what we were doing and coming back here, it's just like, now I have to take it all into my own hands,” said Moore, MOS Infantry.

Thanks to some changes in National Guard policy, Moore has help getting back to normal. A "new" normal, according to counselors at the Yellow Ribbon Reintegration retreat. They say the hardest adjustment for returning soldiers is realizing that time didn't stand still while they were at war.

“With combat veterans, we've trained them to do intense things and now they have to come back to a culture that doesn't quite understand them and we need to give them time to do that. We need to give them the opportunity to do that at their pace,” said Olsen.

That's why Chaplin Olsen helped create the 30, 60, and 90 day milestone program, which is about the time the honeymoon phase of their homecoming starts fading.

"Not that I don't think they shouldn't put on their jackets on veterans day or memorial day, but I don't want them being stuck in their Afghan experience. I want them to move on and become incredibly successful, to take what they've been living and fight for to the next level," said Olsen.

Chaplin Olsen says he recognizes the system had flaws and says the National Guard will continue to change the program as they recognize new trends in veteran reintegration, and for Moore, it means getting help pursuing his dream of college education.

“I've been looking forward to it,” said Moore.