Reservists required to register civilian employers

Citizen Airman, August, 2004

A new program requires reservists throughout the armed forces to register their civilian employer with the Department of Defense.

Called the Civilian Employment Information Program, the registration is the first mandatory disclosure by members of the Selected Reserve and Individual Ready Reserve of their civilian employers into a common database.

According to DOD officials, participation in this program is mandatory. Reservists and guardsmen who knowingly fail or refuse to provide their employment-related information, or who provide false information, may be subject to administrative action or punishment.

"This information will be used to meet three different requirements defined by federal law," said Maj. Gen. John J. Batbie Jr., vice commander of Air Force Reserve Command, Robins Air Force Base, Ga. "During activations or presidential mobilizations, the Department of Defense needs to consider the impact on our civilian communities and ensure that reservists fulfilling critical occupations are not kept in service longer than absolutely necessary.

"Also, we have an obligation to inform those civilians who employ reservists of their rights and responsibilities under the Uniformed Services Employment and Re-employment Rights Act."

Air Force Reservists can enter their employer data by going to the new Defense Manpower Data Center Web site at https://www.dmdc.osd.mil/guard-reserveportal.> Once on the Web site, Reservists enter their employment status, employer name, mailing address, civilian job title and total number of years in their current civilian occupation.

All services will provide commanders with compliance reports that will allow commanders to ensure subordinates have entered employer information to the database and that the information is being maintained on at least an annual basis.

DOD officials said their goal is to have 95 percent of the Selected Reserve and 75 percent of the Individual Ready Reserve registered by the end of 2005.

Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve staff will not directly contact any employer about a specific individual unless the person asks for assistance. However, ESGR will send general information to employers, including surveys to determine employer attitudes. (AFRC News Service)