MSG/CC talks employer support Published July 15, 2011 By Staff Sgt. Heather Skinkle 419th Fighter Wing Public Affairs HILL AIR FORCE BASE, Utah -- In the spirit of the wing's annual Employer Appreciation Day set for Aug. 6, I recently sat down with Col. Charles Mood, 419th Mission Support Group commander, to talk about the importance of employer support to a reserve unit. Why is employer support crucial to a reserve unit? A unit depends on its people. Each of our reservists is like an individual body part, and we need every part functioning at 100 percent. It's hard to accomplish that if someone isn't working to their full capability because they're worried about their civilian job. I encourage reservists to foster a healthy working relationship with their civilian employers. Even though certain laws are in place to protect reservists' jobs, employers can make it more difficult for our people. For instance, a civilian employer can set such a difficult work schedule that our members might end up quitting the reserve. What is a reservist's responsibility to their civilian employer? Honesty and good communication with an employer will go a long way in maintaining a good working relationship. A reservist should keep their employer informed about any upcoming deployments. That communication will also help ease an employer's potential frustration with a reservist's absences. In your experience, what are some common misperceptions of civilian employers as it relates to their reservist's service? Employers don't always understand the difference between a volunteer deployment and an actual mobilization, and sometimes reservists don't explain it to them. The employer and reservist should work together to come up with a feasible time for the reservist to volunteer for duty or deployment. Do you have any personal experience with the Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve? I've always had incredibly supportive employers, so I've been very fortunate in my career to have never needed the ESGR. But it's comforting to know that an ESGR representative is an available resource if our members have any problems. Stay connected -- Join the 419th on Facebook and YouTube