Ive been out of the military for about 14 months now. I have a stellar job with Nissan as a Maintenance Planner/Scheduler at our Powertrain Plant. Still not very satisfying as being enlisted. Prior E-5 USAF SF, and looking at possibly going back into a reserve or guard unit. Im not sure how my current job would like my decision but having the benefits, travel, etc. I dearly miss. What do you guys think? I do not want to go back active duty however.
Prior Enlisted: Thinking of Going Reserve
- Thread starter Sirraf
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I think you should stick it out, especially since you have a great job. I had the same restless feeling after about a year of being out too. 9 years later I'm perplexed at how I ever considered going back in.
As far as your employer, reservists are a PITA to work around. This is especially true if you work shift work because they're going to have to eff some other guy(s) to cover your shift during drill. I know I'll never hire one and the few we've had presented more difficulties than is worth it.
As far as your employer, reservists are a PITA to work around. This is especially true if you work shift work because they're going to have to eff some other guy(s) to cover your shift during drill. I know I'll never hire one and the few we've had presented more difficulties than is worth it.
If you do decide, I would suggest the National Guard, way better benefits. My knowledge of it however is similiar to Katy,TX5.0 that some employers wont keep you if your are guard/reserve. I think most dont mind working around it. I would go for it, still collect retirement from it.
It is against the law for an employer to fire a reservist or guard member due their membership in the guard or reserve. USERRA.
OP if you decide to go guard or reserve there is nothing your current employer can do about it. Sure they may not be happy but they can not fire you nor punish you in any way for it. Some employers have done so in the past and were successfully sued by the federal government on behalf of the service member. The feds don't **** around with this one.
Katy its too bad you won't hire fellow service members or veterans although I can understand a little from your point of view. Do keep in mind that the company receives a tax break for employing veterans, a little incentive to put up with drill.
I'm still active duty for USAF SF but Will be going reserve very soon to finish my education. I have been looking into reserve for a few months now, honestly I can't see what you wouldn't. Good luck
I just remembered as well, there is another company called ESGR, Employer Support of Guard/Reserve, that will rip any employer a new one if they try any funny business.
If we didn't have to cover 24 hours a day with two people it wouldn't be as bad. What amplifies the problem is their units never know the weekend until a week or two before and it changes all the time. It's not fair to the others.
As far as USERRA, I think it's a crock. I firmly believe companies should have freedom to make decisions.
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And you wonder why USERRA exists :dw:
Actually, I do wonder why it exists. It's BS.
It's there to hold companies hostage from their mission completion and troop welfare. It's a very bad piece of legislation that punishes companies for something they didn't sign up for and goes against any notion of freedom.
Try getting effed on your off time or having to eff someone on their off time in order to meet the requirements of a multimillion dollar contract and you'll understand. In a lot of instances they're detrimental and not worth the hassle.
While technically true I have seen reservists get canned by scumbag companies. Many of these companies get away with it by letting their military employees go for creative reasons. Even when the reservist gets help it takes a long time and is a terrible hardship on them and their families.
This is an example of the attitudes you may have to face from the people you protect if you decide to continue serving your country.
Don't let what I have said above or what others have posted stop you. You have an advantage with this decision in that you already work for a company you seem to want to stay with. Many companies big and small value their reservists, understand the burdens placed upon them and go out of their way to care for their people. Look around, how does Nissan treat others who are in the reserve? Most companies I have worked for have not had a problem with reservists, and my current employer actively supports them.
Good luck with you decision whatever you choose.
It's not an attitude, it's a truth.
All that serving is honorable but if you're being honest with yourself you'll admit it really isn't a company's problem. Everyone wants a level field until it encroaches on their own special interest.
All that serving is honorable but if you're being honest with yourself you'll admit it really isn't a company's problem. Everyone wants a level field until it encroaches on their own special interest.
Its not a truth but a personal opinion. Reserve and Guard members are making a sacrifice to the defense of the nation and many if not most these days have deployed. Its only fair that a company that employs that service member can't fire or punish that person due to the obligation they have to the nation. It would be really shitty if USERRA didn't exist as there would be a lot of reservists coming back from deployment to find the company didn't want to give them their job back when they returned.
I know its been a while since you have been in but really, looking out for service members is a good thing. But like you said earlier you don't hire them which is the best way to avoid this situation in the first place.
I was E-5 af sf as well, I miss it from time to time but I have been out now for 15 years so I'm too old to go back....:whine:
It's a fact that reservists are a hardship here. That's why that law exists....
If it was easy to handle there'd be no need for USERRA.
Other jobs might be able to absorb the inconvience a little easier. It's not fair to a company that is forced to make a sacrifice for something they didn't sign up for. You're right that not having a job upon returning would be a crappy thing but it really isn't the company's problem. The service member volunteered.
Fixed it for ya.
Isn't military service supposed to be humble? You're looking at whatever decision they make as punishment when it's not. It's a business decision they should have the freedom to make.
Like I keep saying, everyone is all for freedom until it doesn't go their way.
Like I keep saying, everyone is all for freedom until it doesn't go their way.
But they signed up for it the moment they open their doors in the US. Your company directly benefits from guard and reserve every time there is a natural disaster much less a war. Its kind of like being a free loader by discriminating against them. You still benefit but you don't have the hassel of employing them. Irregardless because its illegal to discriminate against them in hiring.
Not to mention the kind of person who enlists in the guard of reserve is more than likely interested in outside the office careers meaning shiftwork for the most part. So if none of these guys can be hired for shift work cause it inconveniences their employers; how do you expect to attract people into the guard?
As for the shifts being difficult to schedule because of drill and deployments, are you serious? Thats a five minute conversation with their battalion S3, they will know the next 16 weeks firmly (cause EVERYTHING must be locked in by then for training) and should have the entire year with an 80% solution. But judging by the hiring reservist is to difficult comment you wont ever put out that much effort.
What part of they didn't sign on to that don't you get? They didn't sign the contract, the individual did. What you're telling me is you really don't believe in freedom. Just admit you're only looking out for your own interests. Your problem is that you're either still in or just got out so you have a very gung-ho self centered view of the military. Want to know how I know? I've been there. You don't join to get catered to, you join to serve humbly.
We already have darn near infinite unemployment and a multitude of veteran organizations. That's plenty without holding companies hostage.
Irregardless isn't a word btw.
We already have darn near infinite unemployment and a multitude of veteran organizations. That's plenty without holding companies hostage.
Irregardless isn't a word btw.
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No ones being catered to aside from your company expecting a free lunch on the system.
Let me simplify this: Your company (the place you work) gets good stuff from the guard (sandbagged levies, forest fires fought, wars won) but doesn't want to hire the guard (pay for good stuff).
"But I pay taxes" Great you covered their drill pay, what are they supposed to do the rest of the month. Their not obligated a job, that should be based on their resume, but the whole "someone else will hire them so I don't have to" attitude is asinine because it will encourage other people not to hire them. In the long run this means fewer guard and reserve or an increase in your taxes to make up the civilian income their loosing.
I'm assuming this whole conversations hypothetical because what you were advocating and claiming your company did IS ILLEGAL. Insert further legalese here.
Oh and still a word, just poor writing.
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