USERRA and the NG SF.

[Rschoeneck]

I guess my question is geared more for those who are currently serving in either the 19th or 20th groups.

I have read and heard that the optempo for those groups are pretty intense and I was wondering how this affects your jobs with your civilian employers. Rather difficult to ask alot of specifics without violating OPSEC, but do you find yourselves constantly playing catch up with your employers?

On the flip side, how did and do your civilian employers react to the fact that not only are you NG but also SF? Do you find them understanding or critical? I would love to hear from those experiencing this situation, as well as from the SF community as a whole.

Thanks in adavance for your time.

[Jo Sul]

I guess my question is geared more for those who are currently serving in either the 19th or 20th groups.

I have read and heard that the optempo for those groups are pretty intense and I was wondering how this affects your jobs with your civilian employers. Rather difficult to ask alot of specifics without violating OPSEC, but do you find yourselves constantly playing catch up with your employers?

On the flip side, how did and do your civilian employers react to the fact that not only are you NG but also SF? Do you find them understanding or critical? I would love to hear from those experiencing this situation, as well as from the SF community as a whole.

Thanks in adavance for your time.

It varies with employer on how this affects your job - some employers are very supportive and some really suck. If you work for one that sucks and you intend to stay in the guard then you either put up with it or find a new job. Of course you always have the option of becoming a "guard bum" with no real civilian job - just spend all your time working for the guard.

Most employers have no friggin idea what SF is so this doesn't matter. Of course if you feed them lines about being a "trained killer" they may think twice about screwing with your job. I've never had anyone be critical of SF to me (at least not to my face).

[Rschoeneck]

It varies with employer on how this affects your job - some employers are very supportive and some really suck. If you work for one that sucks and you intend to stay in the guard then you either put up with it or find a new job. Of course you always have the option of becoming a "guard bum" with no real civilian job - just spend all your time working for the guard.

Most employers have no friggin idea what SF is so this doesn't matter. Of course if you feed them lines about being a "trained killer" they may think twice about screwing with your job. I've never had anyone be critical of SF to me (at least not to my face).


Jo Sul....

I would have to say that so far my employer has been supportive of my decision to re-enlist and I have not had to hold USERRA over their head. My only concern is that by the grace of God and my will I be selected for SF, then we are talking about a huge initial chunk of time away for trianing. My direct supervisor who is also an officer of the company has made mention that "SF would be an entire NEW career path for you". In subtle terms I am thinking they will try to dick me out of my job.

[QRQ 30]

If you are worried about it go active duty. :lifter

The Soldier, Sailoe, Airman's act is eventually going to be challenged in the courts. It was really meant to protect draftees and protecting "volunteers" is going to be challenged. Many companies no longer comply. :boohoo :(

[Rschoeneck]

If you are worried about it go active duty. :lifter

The Soldier, Sailoe, Airman's act is eventually going to be challenged in the courts. It was really meant to protect draftees and protecting "volunteers" is going to be challenged. Many companies no longer comply. :boohoo :(


I figure it will only be a matter of time before they do change the law regarding "volunteering" for training, certainly will be a shame if and when they do. Wife and I are talking about going AD in the future, currently she is sitting on a pretty cushy gig with IBM that she is not yet willing to give up. So we reached a compromise, enlist in NG apply for SF, do a tour with the 20th, and then re-up with AD. Granted, these are all tentative plans at the moment. Who knows, like everything else IBM could outsource her position overseas.

[Kyobanim]

Here's another tract to consider. I saw an ad in the classifies here in Orlando where a guardsman put in the ad, "National Guardsman looking for XX type of work. Employer should understand that I can be called to active duty on short notice." It went on to explain his qualifications and so on. The local paper ran a short story on it and the guy wa picked up by a company here within 2 weeks. One that understood the implications of hiring a guardsman.

Just a thought.

[Rschoeneck]

Here's another tract to consider. I saw an ad in the classifies here in Orlando where a guardsman put in the ad, "National Guardsman looking for XX type of work. Employer should understand that I can be called to active duty on short notice." It went on to explain his qualifications and so on. The local paper ran a short story on it and the guy wa picked up by a company here within 2 weeks. One that understood the implications of hiring a guardsman.

Just a thought.

Got to praise the guys initiative and good on him for getting picked up. Not a bad plan.

[aricbcool]

If you are worried about it go active duty. :lifter

The Soldier, Sailoe, Airman's act is eventually going to be challenged in the courts. It was really meant to protect draftees and protecting "volunteers" is going to be challenged. Many companies no longer comply. :boohoo :(

I've spoken with my boss about this and he told me that my company doesn't have to honor it. I don't know if it has to do with working for a contracting company or what, but he said that being picked up after any absence would depend on the needs of the company. So, I decided to make Active Duty my goal. =0)

--Aric

[Jo Sul]

If you are a "contract" employee then all bets are off - employers use contract workers because their commitment is minimal.

Regular employees are a bit different - I think all the law requires is that the employer hold a job for them when they get back. They don't even have to do that for contract workers. Beyond that, anything the employer does is out of the goodness of their own heart.

[18C4V]

The optempo for NG SF is pretty busy. Most of the guys in my company are civil service ie: LE or Fire. Job security is pretty much there. I'm in LE and for me to leave is pretty easy. But then again my dept is 2,400 cops and I'm a drop in the bucket. Some of the other smaller depts may have issues with guys leaving.

The problems that I incurr is that I'm a sniper for our Specialist team. What that means, is I usually get turned down for LE non shooting schools. I'm usually away either at Spec training, sniper training or on Military orders. If I put in for a boring LE school (DUI, hazmat, etc) , I'll get turned down on me being away so much. Which is no loss to me!!!

My dept gives 30 days military leave per fiscal year and up to one year for personal leave. But you can use comp time and va for other courses in order to double dip.

There's some LAPD cops in my unit who took some time off from NG SF and LE to work with a PMC.

USERRA only protects you if you get mobilized. However after 911, both 19th and 20th SFG mobed non quals inorder to attend the SFQC thus being protected under USERRA and getting BAH for their own home of record.

If you want to get mobed, I suggest you find a company/bn which is getting mobed and join them. What they will do is mob you for the SFQC. This is all dependant on you already being an SFAS grad.

Good luck