I’ll have to think about some of those things (being I’m still a CPT), however there is one thing that I have seen time and time again in officers who are in similar circumstances to myself; that being AGR (active) in the Guard. Full time officers in the National Guard (and I’m sure it’s the same in the USAR) quickly forget that the bulk of the Reserve Compo is made up of part time forces. This can be seen in the host of tasking and support or assistance missions that often time have to be filled with subordinate AGRs because there are no M-Day/TPU volunteers. It can also be seen in the RFIs, meetings, training plan changes, and any other of a laundry list of things that come down from BDE or higher, with no consideration to the fact that the M-Day/TPU force may not be able to take care of it until drill.

Having worked at BN and BDE levels (currently at BDE), I’ve managed to fight some of those things. When a suspense comes down between drills, I automatically ask for an extension. Why? Simple. 75% of the time, a task won’t get done unless there is a drill period in which to accomplish it.