What are a reservist's obligations outside of scheduled drills and annual training?

SGT Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 04 May 2021 15:29:54 -0400

What is the required obligation of a soldier in the reserves outside of drill weekends and the annual training? My unit repeatedly has the squad leaders calling their soldiers 2-3 times a week for things like online training (there are more very specific examples but I'm not going to risk my identity by posting them). I understand notifying the soldier, however, I don't understand how requiring these squad leaders to constantly reach out to ask for these things is legal when the tasks weren't giving at drill. I would understand if the due date was the last day of that month's drill, but the due dates are ASAP. What publication covers this? The only thing I have been able to find was an 8+ yr old post on a state website saying that a soldier didn't have to work for the unit unless it was done voluntarily with pay. The post did not specify what was considered work. Does that include the individual tasks? Does that include the role of leadership to sacrifice an hour 3 nights a week to call their soldiers for a task that can be sent by email and done at drill? It's gotten so bad that I found one of my peers crying after everyone left because the units obligation is to much when added to this soldiers everyday life.

Response by SPC Private RallyPoint Member made May 4 at 2021 4:20 PM

SPC Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 04 May 2021 16:20:23 -0400

People will find quickly that Guardsmen and Reservists do a lot more than the one weekend a month two weeks a year, and a lot of it on their own time without compensation. Can they make troops do anything when they're not on orders? No. Can it be highly encouraged and they take it out on you when you are on orders? Pretty much. Is it an IG complaint waiting to happen? Probably.

Doesn't help that most of the stuff they want you to do pretty much demands a government computer and CAC reader which many troops don't have at home. Of course someone will say they should get one, and by that I don't mean through supply. I'm also a fan of the BS phrase, "Complete it before drill and you'll go home early while everyone else stays to finish". If Active can't get off early for a damn thing, who in their right mind things the RC will get off early.

My NCO's put out basic notifications via mass text or email all the time, individually calling us? They never do that unless it's something important to us specifically like an upcoming board or some such thing.

I understand there has been a long debate upstairs about increasing the minimum RC obligations from 2 days a month to 4 days, and from 2 weeks to 4 weeks. Will it happen? Probably not, that's a lot of funding. Would it make things better for the Guard and Reserves in the long run? Possibly, more time for training and getting to know your people.

Response by WO1 Private RallyPoint Member made May 4 at 2021 4:29 PM

WO1 Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 04 May 2021 16:29:46 -0400

Unfortunately, from what I can tell regulations do not put restrictions on the "nonduty" tasks you're explaining. Your Soldiers can put in a 1380 to get compensation for the online training but as for the leadership tasks, I don't think there is anything saying it's unauthorized. I think it's definitely something to bring up to your chain of command because if it's affecting your civilian life in the way that it seems it is, it's a major problem.

Maybe the following article will be of some assistance. Good luck, SGT.

https://mwi.usma.edu/duty-compensation-reserve-component-one-weekend-month-two-weeks-year-bunch-unpaid-work/

Duty and Compensation in the Reserve Component: One Weekend a Month, Two Weeks a Year, and a...

The US military’s reserve components have about thirty-nine days per year, a fraction of the time available to the active component, to train their units. In effect, this requires reservists and National Guard members to make sacrifices in the periods between regularly scheduled active and inactive duty training to execute a countless number of tasks […]

Response by MSG Private RallyPoint Member made May 4 at 2021 5:27 PM

MSG Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 04 May 2021 17:27:50 -0400

I hate to tell you, but this is the nature of the beast for Reservists and NG troops. Can they force you outside of BTA? No. But think of it like this: all that extra outside of BTA done frees up (well, in theory, anyway) more time during BTA for other training. If we waited until BTA to get all of the extra taskers sent out completed, no other training would be completed. Not to mention that Soldiers would be at the Drill Hall non stop never leaving working late ass hours until completed. Squad Leaders are checking because Platoon Sergeants are asking. Platoon Sergeants are asking because 1SGs and Commanders are asking. And why are they asking, because BN is getting beat up by BDE and BDE is getting beat up by higher. You should see all the taskers being submitted into eLAS by highers. It's insane. But, they're being injected because it's coming down from way up top. Not to mention that any outside work can be paid with either RMA funds or 1380s for points/pay.

Response by SSgt Christophe Murphy made May 5 at 2021 8:53 AM

SSgt Christophe Murphy — Wed, 05 May 2021 08:53:57 -0400

It's part of the gig to an extent. If it's becoming too much talk to your leadership and create a better plan to address online training requirements and communication without bleeding into your day job so much. There is always room for improving a process. But the higher you go up the chain the more of this type of stuff you deal with. As a SSgt the majority of my time was spent dealing with people problems.

Response by SFC Gary (Bigsarge) Portier USARMY RET. made May 9 at 2021 8:52 AM

SFC Gary (Bigsarge) Portier USARMY RET. — Sun, 09 May 2021 08:52:38 -0400

These Days USAR Units cram 30 AD days into 2 most of the time and as an NCO, especially Senior and Squad Leaders. You are expected to Perform 24/7 no pay do beyond Drill Days. This can include all Soldiers for different reasons.