EANGUS: The Enlisted Association of the National Guard of the United States

Member Benefits
Emergency Relief Fund Grants
Mobilization Information
TRICARE TRS Information
CSM Williams Scholarship
Special Needs Parent Tool Kit
Song "I Guard America"
Links

Home > Resources > Mobilization Information

FREE STUFF--<<-CLICK HERE!!!

Mobilization Information

Currently over 100,000 National Guard and Reserve members have been called to active duty for Operation Noble Eagle, Operation Enduring Freedom, and Operation Iraqi Freedom. Many have questions about their entitlements and responsibilties when they are called to active duty. This information is designed to assist Guard members in their search for answers.

USERRA

The Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act (USERRA) protects Guard and Reserve members from losing their civilian jobs when called to active duty. Upon return from active duty, people serving less than 91 days must be placed in their former job or in the position they would have attained had they not left for duty. Employees who served more than 90 days have the same rights, except that they may be placed in another job of similar status, seniority and pay.

The National Committee for Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve (ESGR) is an agency within the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Reserve Affairs. It was established in 1972 to promote cooperation and understanding between Reserve component members and their civilian employers and to assist in the resolution of conflicts arising from an employee's military commitment. Today ESGR operates through a network of more than 4,500 volunteers throughout 54 committees located in each state, the District of Columbia, Guam, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands.

Through the National Committee for Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve (ESGR), the Department of Defense (DoD) works hard to obtain and sustain employer and community support for National Guard and Reserve members who periodically are absent from their civilian jobs to perform military duty. If you have a question about employment rights, the experts-DoD, the U.S. Department of Labor Veterans' Employment and Training Service (VETS), and ESGR-suggest you start by contacting ESGR. This is not only your best option for speedy resolution; it protects all your levels of appeal if they are needed. You can contact ESGR Ombudsmen Services through your local ESGR Committee or the National ESGR Headquarters or use our toll-free number (800) 336-4590 and ask for Ombudsmen Services.

For text of the actual law, click here.

The Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (SCRA)

The SCRA was passed in 2003 to help those called to active duty if they suffer a loss in income. It limits the interest rate on mortgages and credit card debt to a maximum of 6% and delays civil and court actions, such as bankruptcies and divorces.

Currently, the SCRA only covers those called under Title 10.

For more information, read this.

For Students

About one-fourth of the Guard and Reserve members called up will be college and university students. On September 24, the U.S. Department of Education directed lenders and colleges and universities to provide relief from student loan obligations by postponing student loan payments for borrowers during the period of the borrowers active duty service. Additionally, the Department urged colleges and universities to provide full refund of tuition and other institutional charges and encouraged flexible re-enrollment options for affected students. Studen aid recipients who withdraw from school because they are called to active duty, or are otherwise affected by mobilization or terrorist attacks, will not be required to return financial aid funds they received for books and living expenses.

Constantine Curris, the President of the American Association of State Colleges and Universities, has urged that all colleges and universities to implement these recommended policies.

For Small Business Owners/Employees

Legislative was passed in 1999 that protects small businesses that lose a key employee to active duty. As a result of the law passed, small business owners will have access to low-interest disaster loans; the ability to defer SBA loan payments; and be able to receive counseling and training through the Small Busines Administration.

For more information, go to the SBA disaster website at http://www.sba.gov/disaster/

TRICARE

Members of the reserves and National Guard who are called to active duty will be eligible for health care benefits under TRICARE, just as other active-duty service members are. Their families will also become eligible for TRICARE benefits, if the military sponsor's active-duty orders are for a long-enough period of time.

This eligibility begins on the effective date of their orders to active duty. Needed care will be provided by uniformed services medical treatment facilities, and by authorized civilian health care providers.

Families of activated reservists and National Guard members become eligible for health care benefits under TRICARE Standard or TRICARE Extra on the first day of the military sponsor's active duty, if his or her orders are for a period of more than 30 consecutive days of active duty, or if the orders are for an indefinite period.

Comparison of the TRICARE benefit in different statuses.

For more information, see TRICARE's website for Guard and Reserve members.

FREE STUFF FOR DEPLOYED TROOPS (be careful--links may change without notice)

Free computers for spouses or parents of deployed soldier in ranks E1 - E5.

Free magazines, up to 3 choices, for deployers.

Free mail/gifts sent to children of deployed soldiers.

Free phonecards.

To sign up for sponsoring soldier care packages for theater.

To have commander sign up for mugs for unit troops.

Free shoebox care package.

Free cookies.

Lowest airfare available.

Free care packages.