I am aware of the Army making this work for them, albeit on a smaller scale. And it was before social media and more robust IT. In the mid 80's when I was an officer programs recruiter I had an applicant for NUPOC that was a former Army Special Forces medic. After a time when he hadn't returned my phone calls he resurfaced and told me he had been on active duty. The dude was in a rock band and he stood before me with hair as long as the last time I saw him. And I knew he was IRR. He said he was part of a special good deal. No drills, no uniforms, no hair cut. Every few months they flew him to Ft Benning to jump for qual and shoot some weapons. All this just in case they needed him for something special.
Fast forward to the late 90s. LT Wink is CDR Wink and an LNO for CINCUSNAVEUR to EUCOM for a big exercise. I meet a great guy, active duty Army Special Forces LTC, Medical Service Corps. I tell him about my applicant and his story. He confirmed that the Army did run such a program. He had a break in service and as a SELRES back home he was tasked with administering a program he called the Rambo Program. When a Green Beret separated from active duty they were asked to participate in this program. They got to jump out of planes, shoot guns, get some refresher training and have no other obligation to the Army. In return, the Army kept an extensive digest of their quals, If the Army needed a black guy that could speak French, had a pilots license and had experience in civil engineering, they would look for the guy in this program. It was this LTC's job, when a SELRES, to identify the guy or guys and go knock on their doors at home, have a private conversation and offer them a temporary "job". He said his offers were only rarely turned down.
Fast forward to the late 90s. LT Wink is CDR Wink and an LNO for CINCUSNAVEUR to EUCOM for a big exercise. I meet a great guy, active duty Army Special Forces LTC, Medical Service Corps. I tell him about my applicant and his story. He confirmed that the Army did run such a program. He had a break in service and as a SELRES back home he was tasked with administering a program he called the Rambo Program. When a Green Beret separated from active duty they were asked to participate in this program. They got to jump out of planes, shoot guns, get some refresher training and have no other obligation to the Army. In return, the Army kept an extensive digest of their quals, If the Army needed a black guy that could speak French, had a pilots license and had experience in civil engineering, they would look for the guy in this program. It was this LTC's job, when a SELRES, to identify the guy or guys and go knock on their doors at home, have a private conversation and offer them a temporary "job". He said his offers were only rarely turned down.