Let’s use 2014-2018 as an example…I am a senior director of an 800+ member private firm, relatively well compensated, and have my own business line as well as being the project management office. My firm relies on me for new business as well as my managing of the teams we assemble for programs. My firm bills for my time, so any period for which I am not present is a period where they cannot make a 2.5-3.5 multiplier on my salary.

From Jan 2014-Oct 2015 I was on orders and deployed. I returned to a client by name request for a large city sensitive program. In 2016 I had a 3 week AT in the spring, followed by having to bounce down to Baton Rouge LA for the floods there in my civilian capacity. While in Louisiana I was notified that professional development schools I had been scheduled for over a 2 year span (functional area and such) would all occur with in the FY. So…Oct 2016 I attend Knowledge Management Qualification (3 weeks), Jan 2017 FA57 Simulation Operations (8 weeks), June 2017 3 week annual training, August 2017 Red Team Member (6 weeks). In all this I needed to take some personal time, so add 2 weeks of vacation. In FY17 I took just over 20 weeks in military leave and 2 weeks of vacation. How is that sustainable for my firm or me? Of course the schools crush was “funding dependent”.

What made things worse for me was not knowing whether a school would be funded, so it was tentative on my schedule. I could tell my employer that I might go and block off the time, and up to a week before I still didn’t have funding. Then suddenly valid reservation, DTS approved, and orders provided…orders that were dated for when the RFO was submitted, not the date of issue, so I give my employer something that’s states it is 6 months old. Not a way to build trust.

With my upcoming deployment, I accepted a long term ADOS position just to give my civilian employer the 24 month break from me going back and forth and allow me some stability. I took one hell of a pay cut (think senior director in NYC compared to senior captain/junior major pay even with BAH) and a loss of retirement building, but I know have some control…no matter how temporary.

Which gets back to Brock’s question: what can we do? We need talent management and involved leaders. We need to understand what brings these kids into the reserve component and what it takes to keep them. When a Civil Air Patrol Squadron has a higher attendance rate than a drill weekend, there’s a problem that needs to be addressed.

Leaders need to be involved and willing to speak truth to power. 12 period drills and AT scheduled during finals weeks are bad policy and if there is any level of control it needs to be leveraged. Build a facts and assumption slide into the YTB and ask “what can I do to minimize disruption”. Major exercises can’t necessarily be moved, but during ready year 1-3, what can be done to help the Soldier out?

Identify those in the formation that have specific circumstances. Grad school, engineering undergrads, law school…these Soldiers may require some thought. Cops and firefighters (at least in NJ) look for lots of opportunity due to double dipping. What can we do to leverage their availability?

Interview Soldiers as to what they do and what they want to do. Build a long term talent plan (not in a vacuum-back it up). This can be a hell of a retention tool.

Limiting financial impact is tough. Work with the Soldiers to get ESGR recognition of employers, meet with employers, have the Soldier come up with a plan. Build a ready pool in the formation.

Help with resume writing and describing military experience so they themselves learn their own elevator speech.

Number 1: be honest with the Soldiers about the truly spectacular opportunities afforded them and the risks inherent in their service.