What should I do if I run my own business and I get called for active duty?

2018-05-25T17:48:32-04:00

I run a trucking business.

Response by SGM Jeffrey Hall made May 25 at 2018 5:59 PM

2018-05-25T17:59:51-04:00

I strongly recommend that if that is a risk, you hire and train an assistant who can run your company in your absence.

Response by MSG Danny Mathers made May 25 at 2018 6:41 PM

2018-05-25T18:41:07-04:00

Go to duty or face being discharged.

Response by MSG Private RallyPoint Member made May 25 at 2018 6:46 PM

2018-05-25T18:46:51-04:00

Find someone you can trust to run your business while you are gone

Response by Sgt Private RallyPoint Member made May 25 at 2018 8:53 PM

2018-05-25T20:53:24-04:00

You should already have someone that is trained to take over in your absence. If not, you need to do this ASAP.

Response by CMSgt James Nolan made May 26 at 2018 7:06 PM

2018-05-26T19:06:26-04:00

Serving in the capacity of a Reservist, you must be prepared to exit your life and deploy.

As a Sergeant, this should not be a foreign thought. I have conversations regularly with members of my unit about the constant re-evaluation of their ability to serve. This is why you cannot re-enlist for 20 years. Sometimes, life gets in the way of good folks. As a Reservist, your civilian job is what puts "beans and taters" on the family table. To be able to continue to serve, you have to be able to figure out how to leave your business for periods of time and live on the potentially lower salary of the military (none of us are doing this to become wealthy). If you cannot do that, you must either 1-find a non-deployable position (very rare, kind of like a unicorn) or 2-finish your time and separate.

This is one of those tough life choices. Consider this. What would you say to one of your troops if this was brought to you?

Best of luck