Over the past five years nearly 250 MIARNG applicant packets for voluntary Tour of Duty (TOD) mobilizations were compiled according to the Michigan National Guard Mobilizations Office. Tour of Duty is a secured internet site where reserve component Soldiers can find and volunteer for active duty tours. Michigan is one of the most active TOD states – in part due to the efficient coordination skills of Sgt. 1st Class Andrew Rivard, the Joint Force Headquarters Mobilization Office, noncommissioned officer in charge. Rivard, also an administrator (advanced user) on the TOD site, tracks variations in active duty assignments and their associated requirements and outcomes with impressive dexterity.
“Probably the most challenging thing about these positions is that each one is slightly different,” said Rivard. “The general process is pretty much the same, but there are different types of active duty, and different requirements depending on the requesting unit, the Soldier’s MOS [military occupational specialty] and other things."
Staff Sgt. Charles Stefan is preparing for a voluntary tour as public affairs videographer for Combined Joint Task Force – Horn of Africa. He will join Staff Sgt. Brandon Ames, Lt. Col. John Hall and Lt. Col. Allen Reeves in Vicenza, Italy, though they are working in different areas.
"I'm ready to go," said Stefan. "I originally intended to fill a network technician slot but gave that job to a friend of mine and accepted the video slot instead to broaden my skill set in that area, and to hang out with Ames of course, and experience a part of the world I haven't been to before. Plus, this tour will complete the time needed to earn a full GI Bill for school and I'm looking forward to using it."
Reserve component Soldiers can go to www.hrc.army.mil for more information about tour of duty opportunities. Air Force equivalent opportunities in the Voluntary Limited Period of Active Duty program can be viewed at https://mypers.af.mil/. For more information about Combined Joint Task Force – Horn of Africa visit globalsecurity.org (OEF-HOA) or http://www.hoa.africom.mil/.
Stay tuned to the Michigan National Guard website, www.minationalguard.com and social media outlets for updates on MIARNG tour of duty deployments and other Michigan National Guard news.