Fla. National Guardsmen lose government jobs while serving in Iraq

Sun Sentinel ^ | 4/13/05 | Mike Clary

[Guard Dog]

Amid the chaos of war, Sgt. Roberto Orozco and about 35 other members of the Florida National Guard sent to Iraq relied on what they knew for certain: their military training, the love of their families and their government jobs back home.

Then one day in the combat zone, the men got a letter. When they returned home, the letter read, their jobs as full-time members of the Guard assigned to a federal drug interdiction program would be gone.

Indeed, had the soldiers worked for a civilian firm, and not for the federal government, they might have been covered by the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act, which protects reservists from discrimination and job loss when called to active duty.

[Guard Dog]

Indeed, had the soldiers worked for a civilian firm, and not for the federal government, they might have been covered by the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act, which protects reservists from discrimination and job loss when called to active duty.

I have always said, I am much more afraid of the govenment than anything else in life. Why? They can take anything from you and are not obligated to follow their own laws. As anyone who works in defense contacts knows, all employment is temporary. But this was really poorly handeled.

[coconutt2000]

I think these soldiers will be taken care of properly now that the loophole has been uncovered and made public.

[Virginia Ridgerunner]

Yeah, but this Guard Counterdrug program was one of those 1990s DoD programs, no doubt promoted by local congressmen behind the scenes, to try and find peacetime "make-work" missions for Guard units to justify their continued existence and funding during that period. With that said, those men should have been taken care of when their jobs were eliminated, and notified in a much better way, rather than receiving a "Dear John" letter from their unit in the middle of a combat zone. Poorly managed and embarrassing for the Florida Guard. Now the story is out, I'm sure that some belated employment relief will be forthcoming.

[Fierce Allegiance]

Other than getting shot or your wife dumping you, I have to imagine this is the worst insult to a person in a combat position. It's hard enough to focus on the work at hand (or waiting to do the work at hand) without worrying about getting dumped by your employer and finding a new job.

I feel sorry for these guys. Hopefully this is all taken care of ASAP.

[WilliamofCarmichael]

If I remember correctly a recent post reported that thousands of returning service men and women have lost their private sector jobs while serving.

I've seen it posted here time after time. No-nonsense Freeper "free traders" and "guest worker" supporters say, "No American has a right to a job."

However it seems that until a glut of "cheap labor" reliable and brave personnel can be found to serve as soldiers there is one job for Americans, protecting the butts of American "free traders" and the rest of us.

Just being a mite sarcastic.

[fireforeffect]

USERA does apply to Federal, State, and local government employees. I know I am one.

The positions were eliminated as part of a budget cut. That is why USERA offers no protection.

[Guard Dog]

If I remember correctly a recent post reported that thousands of returning service men and women have lost their private sector jobs while serving

I have not heard anything about that. There is a guy in my company in Afganistan now. His job is waiting for him when he gets back. I was in that neighborhood in '91 and there were reservists in my unit who all had jobs waiting for them. There are instances where a military member gets shafted by a company but I think it's the exception rather than the rule.

[winodog]

Undocumented workers probaly needed these jobs and the Americans who went to Iraq and fought for their country will just have to find new jobs. We cant just fire the undocumented workers can we?

[tutstar]

Unbelievable!

[mystery-ak]

Anyone in the Guard knows that when these types of jobs become available that they are temporary and you suffer a yearly worry that they will not be funded...Operation Guardian is the longest funded one that I've heard of.....my son is serving under Operation Enduring Freedom and faces the same worry every year and quite a few have been to Iraq with their units and returned to their jobs, because they are still funded....that being said, it was still a shi$$y way to informed these guys and I hope they can figure something out for them.

Mike can you add anything to this?

[fireforeffect]

Those missions were not "peace time make work".

Why buy additional helicopters with sophisticated sensors when local guard units already have them. DEA provides the O&M funds for the aircraft. The Guard guys get extra flying time and experience.

Plus, of course, a LOT of pot patches were eliminated.

If you have seen the video clip of the Apache gunship dealing with some terrorist in Baghdad setting up an IED, that is what the druggies faced. Without the 30mm chain gun.

Also this was still a dangerous mission. A Kiowa crashed in Tennessee during a mission with the loss of both crew.

[WilliamofCarmichael]

RE: "There are instances where a military member gets shafted by a company but I think it's the exception rather than the rule."

You are absolutely correct. However the few may have to remind the boss.

Here is the posted article I mentioned above, http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1381166/posts

Apparently I confused it with another news article to get the numbers I mentioned above.

A search of google News for, Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act, found about 40 articles.

One article from the Cincinnati Enquirer said

"Maj. Rob Palmer of the Air Force Reserve said the military has received 6,781 inquiries since April 2004 from guardsmen and reservists about their employment rights under the act. He said 90 percent of inquiries were resolved before legal action was taken."

This is the world we live in today. It's not your W.W.II grandfather's America anymore.

Some "businessmen" have to be reminded that they are Americans, looks like about 10 percent of those have to be forced to admit that they are Americans.

Thank you for your service.