Expert: MARK A. HOWELL - 7/28/2009

Question
I am an 89D with the NG and a former Marine with 12 years active duty. The Guard EOD Program has turned out to be a nightmare. The AGR types run the programs (and deployments) to what suits them. Basically my AGR EOD leadership fears a combat tour and volenteered to back to back deployments to Kosovo. All of the MDAY types who have good jobs (GS13-14's, BAO's, etc) got a raw deal. There is an IED war going on and it is not in Kosovo. Even attempts to volenteer for combat tours have been denied to support the Kosovo missions they volenteered for. Of course nobody is volenteering for the Kosovo mission so they cannot get the numbers to fill the OP. So many are wanting out of the Guard seeking options that will allow us to deploy to combat (Vice going back active). I want to transfer to a Reserves slot as I will have all the chances I could want to deploy to comabt. However the guard will not let me transfer. My recuriter told me to file a congressional. You would think with an IED war going on a EOD tech could get deployed to a combat zone. What can a solider do?

Answer
John,
As a member of the National Guard you are an asset controlled by the governor of your state.  Reservists are federal assets controlled by the president.  Therefore they are two totally different components of the military.  To transfer to the Reserves you must seek release from you governor.  Transfers are handled on a case-by-case basis.  Factors such as unit needs, individual skills, unit locations and career goals are considered.  Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) Soldiers are in high demand everywhere, so he may not be inclined to release you.  Also, since the Reserve force is about half the size of the National guard, there may not be as many openings.

U.S. Code Title 10, Subtitle E, PART II, CHAPTER 1205 says, "with the consent of the governor or other appropriate authority of the State concerned, an officer of the Army National Guard of the United States may be transferred in grade to the Army Reserve.  An officer who so becomes a member of the Army Reserve ceases to be a member of the Army National Guard."

You stated, "However the guard will not let me transfer", so you've already discovered you may be out of luck. You're correct that Kosovo is no longer "where the action is".  When I was there my EOD teams were destroying every Wednesday, stockpiles of ordnance they had collected throughout the week.  By now I would think very little ordnance is left, so your AGR leadership is looking for somewhere safe to beat-in time.

Your recruiter is correct about contacting your Congressman.  But instead of complaining about your leadership, apply for a transfer and at the same time write a nice letter to your U.S. Congressman and/or U.S. Senator asking him to support your transfer request.  You should get some results that way.

Good luck,
Colonel H