Reservists & Guardsmen, compensation question
I recently looked through my employers HR Military Leave policies, and found that they will make up the difference between the employee's regular salary and .mil pay. Meaning, that if I were on orders, at 2nd Lt pay (significantly less than my civilian salary), they would pay the difference so I effectively wouldn't take a pay cut for the duration of my cut orders.
They also say they would pay 100% of benefits, 401k, and allow you to pay into your 401k retroactively for your time in service once you return.
I was kinda impressed to see that level of support for our Military, especially as I see many people struggling with juggling their commitments to both their civilian careers and their .mil careers. How common is it for companies to make up their salaries and pay full benefits? I am not in the Reserves or National Guard, but if I were able to get in, this would grease the wheels financially.
Thanks!
The bigger the company, the better the "coverage," from what I've seen. I think it was Wachovia that paid a guy in my old company his full salary while he was deployed. Now, if you work for Ma and Pa's Old Timey Hardware Store, you're probably not going to get any additional help.
ETA: Oh, and come on in, the water's fine. (Of course a 2LT with the screen name CSM would blow minds.)
Originally Posted By skinnysarge79:
The bigger the company, the better the "coverage," from what I've seen. I think it was Wachovia that paid a guy in my old company his full salary while he was deployed. Now, if you work for Ma and Pa's Old Timey Hardware Store, you're probably not going to get any additional help.
I attributed it to a couple things. One is that in the oilfield, a person that is successful in the military marches to a different cadence than most people. A military man understands hardship, leadership, and understands how to give and take orders. All these qualities are rare and worth investing in. Most of the former career military guys I work with are a lot more lined out and squared away on average. Two, as a political move for government work & contracts, as I though my employer takes very good care of me, I have never seen them take on any expense that wasn't for their benefit.
Oh, I have no doubts that the comapnies that offer great veterans benefits aren't going to be humble about it when their lobbyists are assaulting Washington.
But rest assured, if you choose to wear the uniform, you are going to miss some time at work. I know guys who've had 3+ deploymets in the last decade, and sometimes their "real" job is far from happy.
I imagine that someone at the top of these companies must truely care about the military, because it's gonna cost the company in the long run.
Originally Posted By skinnysarge79:
Oh, I have no doubts that the comapnies that offer great veterans benefits aren't going to be humble about it when their lobbyists are assaulting Washington.
No Doubt!
But rest assured, if you choose to wear the uniform, you are going to miss some time at work. I know guys who've had 3+ deploymets in the last decade, and sometimes their "real" job is far from happy.
That is understood, and I am sure there would be challenges.
I imagine that someone at the top of these companies must truely care about the military, because it's gonna cost the company in the long run.
The real difficulty I see, is that most of the positions I have seen that are open tend to go to people who don't have a day job and can bum full time. I feel that units are very hesitant to pick up somebody that has a career.
You're talking about the Guard/Reserve jobs?
That doesn't fit with what I see. For reference, I'm a NG technician, I work on Bragg with my states armor, and I'm a PSG in one of my state's signal companies.
Sure, the stateside missions that come up need manning, and there are plenty of Guard bums out there, both enlisted and officer. But for an officer, the full time AGR jobs are just staff jobs, personnel and operations and such. The jobs that you'll want (command) are for the most part M-day. Platoon Leaders, Company Commanders, and Battalion Commanders are M-day slots. And there will be plenty of staff jobs available for an M-day officer when it's time to check that block.
It turned into a full time gig for me, true. But you can do a hitch or 20+ years as strictly a part timer (albeit besides deployments). Hell, you don't really have to worry about quitting your regular job until you get selected to be the Adjutant General.
Ours did it for a year or so right after 9/11, but then pled poverty and slashed the program.They made up the difference during my '03 mobilization but by my '08-09 mob it wouldn't have made a difference anyways because I was making about the same base amounts at both jobs. Apparently now they have brought back the program in some fashion now that deployments are finally winding down. They asked for my military pay chart for my impending deployment period.
Originally Posted By skinnysarge79:
You're talking about the Guard/Reserve jobs?
That doesn't fit with what I see. For reference, I'm a NG technician, I work on Bragg with my states armor, and I'm a PSG in one of my state's signal companies.
Sure, the stateside missions that come up need manning, and there are plenty of Guard bums out there, both enlisted and officer. But for an officer, the full time AGR jobs are just staff jobs, personnel and operations and such. The jobs that you'll want (command) are for the most part M-day. Platoon Leaders, Company Commanders, and Battalion Commanders are M-day slots. And there will be plenty of staff jobs available for an M-day officer when it's time to check that block.
It turned into a full time gig for me, true. But you can do a hitch or 20+ years as strictly a part timer (albeit besides deployments). Hell, you don't really have to worry about quitting your regular job until you get selected to be the Adjutant General.
Yes. Undergraduate Pilot Training specifically, from what I understand there is a fair amount of commitment with staying current, like flying at least once a week for the first few years.
Originally Posted By CSM:
Yes. Undergraduate Pilot Training specifically, from what I understand there is a fair amount of commitment with staying current, like flying at least once a week for the first few years.
Gotcha. I have friends with my state's aviation brigade, but haven't worked over there myself. But if you're committed to flying, it is what it is.
Originally Posted By skinnysarge79:
Originally Posted By CSM:
Yes. Undergraduate Pilot Training specifically, from what I understand there is a fair amount of commitment with staying current, like flying at least once a week for the first few years.
Gotcha. I have friends with my state's aviation brigade, but haven't worked over there myself. But if you're committed to flying, it is what it is.
NEW QUESTION! Mabe for the pilots on here, but anybody who knows please chime in.
Anybody have any words of wisdom on how one would present or handle juggling the day job and military commitments? And yes, I understand the 2 yr commitment for OTS, training, seasoning orders, etc.
Originally Posted By skinnysarge79:
You're talking about the Guard/Reserve jobs?
That doesn't fit with what I see. For reference, I'm a NG technician, I work on Bragg with my states armor, and I'm a PSG in one of my state's signal companies.
Sure, the stateside missions that come up need manning, and there are plenty of Guard bums out there, both enlisted and officer. But for an officer, the full time AGR jobs are just staff jobs, personnel and operations and such. The jobs that you'll want (command) are for the most part M-day. Platoon Leaders, Company Commanders, and Battalion Commanders are M-day slots. And there will be plenty of staff jobs available for an M-day officer when it's time to check that block.
It turned into a full time gig for me, true. But you can do a hitch or 20+ years as strictly a part timer (albeit besides deployments). Hell, you don't really have to worry about quitting your regular job until you get selected to be the Adjutant General.
AGR officers get command time, my S4 During the week is also the Company Commander for an Infantry Company during IDT and AT...its confusing...
Originally Posted By 161Infantry:
Originally Posted By skinnysarge79:
You're talking about the Guard/Reserve jobs?
That doesn't fit with what I see. For reference, I'm a NG technician, I work on Bragg with my states armor, and I'm a PSG in one of my state's signal companies.
Sure, the stateside missions that come up need manning, and there are plenty of Guard bums out there, both enlisted and officer. But for an officer, the full time AGR jobs are just staff jobs, personnel and operations and such. The jobs that you'll want (command) are for the most part M-day. Platoon Leaders, Company Commanders, and Battalion Commanders are M-day slots. And there will be plenty of staff jobs available for an M-day officer when it's time to check that block.
It turned into a full time gig for me, true. But you can do a hitch or 20+ years as strictly a part timer (albeit besides deployments). Hell, you don't really have to worry about quitting your regular job until you get selected to be the Adjutant General.
AGR officers get command time, my S4 During the week is also the Company Commander for an Infantry Company during IDT and AT...its confusing...
For us, they seem to rotate AGR O's and E-8's and 9's into command or 1SG slots during deployments, but keep them aligned the rest of the time.
