Mobilizations, when did you tell your employer?

[nodropinufaka]

The XO of the PACOM JIOC reserve unit is VP at APPLE.

I say really depends on the company.

If you don’t like the company then just go ahead and do you.

If you like the company then try to stay on their good graces.

 

[SELRES_AMDO]

Go on orders if you want. USERRA has teeth and if you are willing and able to run things up the flag pole, you will prevail, especially if you are a government civilian. Some GS14/15 giving you a hard time? Easily remediated with a well-documented IG complaint. If you are not willing or able to go the extra mile, then stop complaining.

I don't disagree. But, people need to be realistic. The OP stated he was concerned with his "brand". If you're that concerned then volunteering for long term orders is likely not the best option for your career progression.

My immediate managers at my previous job were not reasonable people. I have no doubt in my mind that they would die before they hired me for a promotion in that office because I took long term orders. That is all I'm saying.

 

[ABMD]

Honest question. If people know their civilian employer, whom I'm guessing provides the main source of their income, won't be supportive of their choice in service, why do you continue to serve? Service is great, but it doesn't pay the bills (for some) especially for those that are self-employed who don't have a corporate policy to keep your salary whole while on orders/deployed.

Also, as with anything, I am hearing a lot of negativity (same goes for those seeking advice on real estate investing, stock market investing, etc). Where are the rest of the SELRES that have had no issues taking a MOB?

 

[snake020]

Honest question. If people know their civilian employer, whom I'm guessing provides the main source of their income, won't be supportive of their choice in service, why do you continue to serve? Service is great, but it doesn't pay the bills (for some) especially for those that are self-employed who don't have a corporate policy to keep your salary whole while on orders/deployed.

Also, as with anything, I am hearing a lot of negativity (same goes for those seeking advice on real estate investing, stock market investing, etc). Where are the rest of the SELRES that have had no issues taking a MOB?

I didn't have issues taking a MOB, but I don't know of any employer that's going to be jumping for joy that you're taking a MOB unless you're a dirtbag they're happy to be rid of. Like anything else, you're going to find those that support, and others that obstruct, and will have to manage your relationships and what you're willing to tolerate accordingly.

 

[squorch2]

Absent being a gun for hire, volunteering for mobs/adsw will negatively affect your career - you'll miss out on opportunities, have to rebuild your internal network, etc etc.

There are folks who make mobs/adsw their main source of income - which is one way to do things - but they do so without a ✌real✌ career, and they're gonna have a big gap to fill in the period between reserve retirement and reserve retirement pay.

 

[Mos]

Honest question. If people know their civilian employer, whom I'm guessing provides the main source of their income, won't be supportive of their choice in service, why do you continue to serve? Service is great, but it doesn't pay the bills (for some) especially for those that are self-employed who don't have a corporate policy to keep your salary whole while on orders/deployed.

Also, as with anything, I am hearing a lot of negativity (same goes for those seeking advice on real estate investing, stock market investing, etc). Where are the rest of the SELRES that have had no issues taking a MOB?

I did a four month mob and had no issues from my employer. I work for a defense contractor that has a large number of veteran and reservist employees, so this kind of thing is not unfamiliar. The company covers my pay up to two weeks of duty, intended for AT. Anything beyond that requires taking paid or unpaid leave.

For drills, AT, and MOB, I notify my employer as soon as the dates are determined. I know not everyone has this kind of experience, but just saying it's possible to get in with a company that is supportive.

 

[SELRES_AMDO]

Honest question. If people know their civilian employer, whom I'm guessing provides the main source of their income, won't be supportive of their choice in service, why do you continue to serve? Service is great, but it doesn't pay the bills (for some) especially for those that are self-employed who don't have a corporate policy to keep your salary whole while on orders/deployed.

Also, as with anything, I am hearing a lot of negativity (same goes for those seeking advice on real estate investing, stock market investing, etc). Where are the rest of the SELRES that have had no issues taking a MOB?

I didn't have issues in the sense that I would lose my job. But, I pretty much shut the door on future promotions in that office. It was fine because I was looking to leave anyways.

I doubt many employers will be stupid enough to fire you. I don't think any will be happy about you taking orders either. It is a balancing act that you need to figure out for yourself.

My office viewed reservists as someone that could get called away and created extra work for the bosses. So they had no desire to place a reservist in a leadership position. They wanted someone who was 100% dedicated to the work. The place was a meat grinder full of senior GS employees who were divorced with no children and work was their life. YMMV.

 

[taxi1]

Where are the rest of the SELRES that have had no issues taking a MOB?

I'm 5 years out, but my employer was supportive. In turn, I've got reservists working for me now, and I support what they do. I find it pays off in the end.

Collecting that reserve retirement now is sweet. It takes so long to collect it, that I'd about forgotten it was coming. Makes it all the sweeter. That year of MOB paid off in a year's advancement in collecting the retirement.

Absent being a gun for hire, volunteering for mobs/adsw will negatively affect your career - you'll miss out on opportunities, have to rebuild your internal network, etc etc.

Out of our MOB (we went as a unit) a LOT of the people ended up switching careers based on connections coming out of the MOB. So it can swing the other way. Depends on what you're doing, obviously.

 

[ABMD]

I did a four month mob and had no issues from my employer. I work for a defense contractor that has a large number of veteran and reservist employees, so this kind of thing is not unfamiliar. The company covers my pay up to two weeks of duty, intended for AT. Anything beyond that requires taking paid or unpaid leave.

For drills, AT, and MOB, I notify my employer as soon as the dates are determined. I know not everyone has this kind of experience, but just saying it's possible to get in with a company that is supportive.

My company goes a step further. I have 15 days of MIL leave that can cover AT or extended DWEs, PLUS they will keep my salary whole for up to 365 days if I was to get mobilized or deployed. They pay the difference between the salary they are paying me, and my base pay on my LES (they don't count any allowances). I do expect my bonus to take a hit, but that's isn't guaranteed anyway.

 

[squorch2]

Out of our MOB (we went as a unit) a LOT of the people ended up switching careers based on connections coming out of the MOB. So it can swing the other way. Depends on what you're doing, obviously.

If you switch careers coming out of a mob, you didn't have a career anyway.

 

[nodropinufaka]

My org wouldn't care and would be supportive. In fact, they would likely go the extra mile and help me anyway possible.

My wife is active duty and was gone and I was watching out toddler and they told me before she left just let us know if there is anything you need or you need to come late or you need someone to cover work or meetings for you at any time.

But I like my job and enjoy what I do. I got out of the Navy for a reason so for me to go on orders I would have to be involuntarily recalled.

 

[Mos]

My company goes a step further. I have 15 days of MIL leave that can cover AT or extended DWEs, PLUS they will keep my salary whole for up to 365 days if I was to get mobilized or deployed. They pay the difference between the salary they are paying me, and my base pay on my LES (they don't count any allowances). I do expect my bonus to take a hit, but that's isn't guaranteed anyway.

Nice. I can also use the mil leave for DWEs instead of AT (it's also just a difference, not an entire pay check), but getting that during MOB up to a year is a whole different ball game. Overall, my civilian and reserve O4 pay is about the same when you throw in BAH, so it's not much of a loss in my case.
Where it costs is getting out of loop with my civilian projects.

 

[GroundPounder]

If you switch careers coming out of a mob, you didn't have a career anyway.

Not for nothin

 

[SELRES_AMDO]

One guy I know works in a field where there is very little active duty personnel. A unit reached out to him and offered him a leadership position on ADOS for two consecutive years with an option to extend out to 36 months to simply show up and do what he does as a GS civilian. There is some complicated backstory about why they needed to bring him on orders. He took it and disappeared from his old office.

In this case, this person is not viewed favorably by his old supervisors.

 

[bubblehead]

..this person is not viewed favorably by his old supervisors.

Nor was I... I remember emailing my previous boss -- who "suddenly retired" this month after 20+ years -- for clarification on something, and the response, in email, was:

I should not have to tell you the specifics of how to do your job. Maybe that's something you are used to from being in the military