If you’re ARNG or USAR, you’ve been there. Needing Soldiers to volunteer to come on duty in order to tackle those last minute tasking and suspense items that inevitably come up between drills. Inventories, last minute missions, ADVON, state call ups, requests for support; it would be nice to think to think that Soldiers would do it for “God and Country,” but that’s not always the case. Monetary compensation doesn’t always help, either.

Within the reserves components, the term “voluntary service” takes on new meaning. Soldiers, NCOs and Officers of the ARNG and USAR are only obligated to perform duty 2-4 days a month, as well as any Federal or State mobilizations. If the chain of command needs anything beyond, there has to be something more.
What tools to you use to encourage your Soldiers to WANT to put in more time, more than just the time they are obligated to?

Do you have examples of when failing to inspire, failing to give purpose, has made it hard (or impossible) to find Soldiers to accomplish a task?

How do you inspire Soldiers to adjust their work, school, and family schedules in order to assist the unit? Or do you take the side of “they’re Soldiers and they should just do it?”