Only one weekend a month?
By SPC Amirah Bey
101 Public Affairs Detachment, Delaware National Guard

“One weekend a month, two weeks a year.”

It’s one mantra of many belonging to the National Guard. The slogan advertises the services’s seemingly small time commitment. However, recruiters don’t inform soldiers of terms such as Active Duty for Special Work (ADSW) or Active Duty for Training (ADT). Both terms result in more time outside of the expected time commitment.

The Army Force Generation’s (ARFORGEN) goal is a decreased pre-mobilization time for National Guard and Reserve Soldiers. ARFORGEN should result in an overall shorter deployment time. However the program increases the days that Reserve components must drill throughout the year. Members of the 101st Public Affairs Detachment and the 262nd General Support Maintenance Company can appreciate shorter deployment times, yet will have to adjust to increased drilling dates throughout the year.

“I have to use my vacation days to make it to these added drill dates,” said Sgt. 1st Class Frank Tillman, from the 262nd . Tillman’s civilian occupation is as a signal electrician for the City of Wilmington, Del.

Civilian employers are only required to allow a certain amount of paid leave time for soldiers. Adjustments that must be made, as a result of the increased time commitment, don’t simply affect the soldier, as always, family members are affected as well.

“Finding someone to watch our four kids, especially since I had a baby who’ll be three months, is very difficult,” said Spec. Kimberly Rodriguez. Rodriguez and her husband, Sgt. Timothy Rodriguez, are both attached to the 262nd , which means they must drill at the same time, causing double the hassle.

Those in school also feel the effects of an increased time commitment.  After a long day of training Spec. Brandi Kalinowski declined hanging out with buddies, instead opting to study. “When we have drill on Thursdays, I’ll miss class, so I’ll have to work a lot harder to make up my work,” she said.

In addition to classes being missed monthly, a longer training period in the late summer months will cause college students in the units to miss a month of the first 2009 fall semester.

Nonetheless being unprepared for even the hint of a deployment to Iraq is not an option. Soldiers must be refreshed on the skills needed to survive overseas. Sacrifices must be made, and through it all soldiers must not forget the sacrifices of those before them, and those presently deployed.
After all, in comparison to cots - warm beds aren’t so bad. In contrast to MREs (Meal Ready to Eat) - hot meals from the chow-hall will do. Unlike twelve hours of guard duty, seven to eight hours of rest is adequate.
Sparse e-mails don’t compare to seeing the wife, husband, or kids on a daily basis. No - in comparison to troops in Iraq, Soldiers at home recognize they might not have it so bad after all.