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I agree with you 100% that they deserve our support.
Beyond moral support, what can we do?
Establish a fund, supported by donations, at the state level to augment NG pay?
Freeze asset forfeiture actions to protect homes of NG personnel?
(All this for debate purposes, of course.)

They get my support in the form of federal tax dollars to pay them with. Besides, I just spent the last 18 years as a Reservist and I have an acute awareness of their situation. The Soldiers and Sailors Relief Act and the Employer Support of th Guard and Reserve (ESGR), an omsbudsman organization, is supposed to keep these scenarios from happening, but more often than not, employers AND Guardsmen/Reservists fail to communicate with each other, causing a lot of problems that otherwise didn't need to be.

Guard and Reserve units have been on worldwide deployments in big numbers since Desert Shield. That was almost 12 years ago, and unless you live in a cave, is hard to miss. So, if people want to sign up, go ahead, but be prepared to serve with the same (reduced)pay and benefits as your active duty counterparts when deployed and plan ahead for your familiy's sake. It's ultimately their decision and their responsibility - NOT the government's.

So go ahead, call me a jerk if it makes you feel better, but that's the way I see it, having lived it.

Thank you!!! My son has been in the ANG for ten years. Sometimes he lost money because he had to give up overtime. He didn't receive free college but is a patriot who is dedicated to his country. Since joining he got married, has a little girl (Jaidyn) and is expecting a child in Sept. He is on standby and was informed where he is going. His family is moving in with her mother while he is gone because of financial hardships. He is going to be working much harder and be in a H of a lot more danger than most of us here. He will be putting his life on the line for us, as so many wonderful men and women already have, and to have someone infer they should be independently wealthy, or in the least, have saved money to tide them over while being shipped out is not only ignorant but selfish as well. The same analogy could be said for all Americans who go through hard financial times. I've been there; too bad a few others seem to think everyone should be as well off as they are.

Me?.... a RAT? ....hardly! I am a combat veteran, doing 2 tours between '67-71. I fully support those in the military who are there doing their job. I have no respect for those sitting there whining about "having" to be there, when the ONLY reason they are there, is that they VOLUNTEERED for reserve duty. They knew exactly what "could" happen BEFORE they signed on the dotted line. Now, they are unhappy with it! ....do your dang job and quit sniveling!