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SELRES and general reserve opportunities

CoyoteK

Member
I am looking for my teleworking agreement but I am 99% sure it authorizes telework for IDT. I will try to get a better answer tomorrow.
 

Flash

SEVAL/ECMO
None
Super Moderator
Contributor
Standard practice and what's legal can be two different things. But if you're earning IDTs and not RMPs (which are printed on the same sheet as IDTs) while at home, everything I've seen over the last 7 years says that's not really kosher.

Yeah, I am with you on this one. Never heard of that being done in the first place much less being kosher.
 

subreservist

Well-Known Member
I am looking for my teleworking agreement but I am 99% sure it authorizes telework for IDT. I will try to get a better answer tomorrow.

I just looked at it again...the telework forms are standard DOD forms, so they don't have anything specific to reservists. The place to look is COMNAVRESFORINST 1000.9 dtd 02MAY2015. It'll take me a minute to dig through that to find the relevant piece, but the NOSCs have already combed through that and they have approved telework for IDT as long as the command demonstrates why it is needed.

It may not seem "kosher", but it's being done. Actually, the perception has been it HAS been abused, which it why the NOSC have enforced a stricter approval policy towards it...but as long as you show cause and complete the required forms and training, it will be approved.
 

CoyoteK

Member
I would be surprised if it wasn't authorized, my NOSC skipper is a very by-the-books guy. I did find this on the web-

Pursuant to Commander, Naval Reserve Forces Instruction 1001.5E, Reserve commanders are encouraged to implement telework policies for the performance of IDT. "Telecommuting" is the practice of performing assigned military duties at home or some other nonmilitary location. For the Naval Reserve, telework is viewed as a management option meant to increase flexibility and productivity by maximizing resources, and is not to be used solely for the convenience of the Sailor. Participants are required to sign a written agreement acknowledging their accountability and personal responsibility, including coverage by the UCMJ and other regulations concerning determinations for line of duty, injury or illness, and misconduct. Reserve Sailors that have been authorized to perform drills via telecommuting must perform at least two drills per quarter at their assigned unit to ensure completion of organization and administrative requirements.

I cannot find a copy of 1001.5E however.
 

subreservist

Well-Known Member
Alright...I found it all...I won't attached RESPERMAN as it's pretty big, but I can if you guys really want it. It references the 1009 anyway, so I think me parapharsing a few things should suffice:

From the RESPERMAN (replaces the 1001.5) definition of IDT: a. All drills shall be approved and scheduled in Navy Standard Integrated Personnel System (NSIPS) prior to execution. b. Inactive Duty Training (IDT) include Additional IDTs, Inactive Duty Training Travel (IDTT), Flexible (FLEX) IDTs, Incremental IDTs, Telework and the Training in Medical Specialty (TMS)/Hospital Corpsman to Bachelor of Science in Nursing (HM to BSN)/Critical Shortage Specialties (CSS) FLEX IDT option. These IDTs shall be approved by the Unit Commanding Officer (CO) or designated representative prior to execution. c. Inactive Duty include Funeral Honors Duty (FHD). FHD shall be approved by the Navy Reserve Activity (NRA) CO.

Additional IDT is defined: a. Reference (a) establishes policy for authorizing and scheduling additional IDT periods. There are three types of Additional IDT periods (i.e. Additional Training Periods (ATPs), Additional Flying and Flight Training Periods (AFTPs), Readiness Management Periods (RMPs)). Additional IDT periods provide individuals and units the opportunity to achieve and maintain required mobilization readiness levels when 48 regular IDT periods are not enough to meet training objectives.

So telework is a separate category from additional IDT.

The RESPERMAN goes on to: 4. Telework. Telework IDTs will be administered per reference (d). a. Participants must meet all administrative and medical requirements to be eligible to perform Telework IDT. b. Participants may be required by the command or agency they are supporting to complete a separate statement of understanding or work agreement. c. Unit COs shall ensure all approved Telework packages are routed to the Telework Coordinators of the supported command and applicable NRA (administrative command). d. A member who has been authorized to perform drills via Telework must perform at least two IDTs per quarter at the supporting NRA to ensure completion of administrative requirements.

Telework is also mentioned as part of the Flex Drill option.

And finally, I attached "reference d" 1009 Telework Instruction.

I left out a few things from RESPERMAN, but I think this should suffice...it's lengthy.

Bottom line: It's "kosher"...LOL! You can do it and get paid as part of your 48. My unit does it...we completed the training, filled out the forms and got it signed off by our OSO. Honestly, it's really no less kosher than someone who shows up for muster and disappears until the end of the weekend until the final muster!
 

Attachments

  • Telework Policy for Navy Reserve Service Members.pdf
    2.2 MB · Views: 7

Gatordev

Well-Known Member
pilot
Site Admin
Contributor
Interesting. It looks like the 1000.9 is a new instruction (no letters) dated in May 2014, it makes me think that the 1001.5d didn't have this.

Regardless, appreciate the education. It looks like this came about after I stopped caring about approving IDTs and such things.
 

Flash

SEVAL/ECMO
None
Super Moderator
Contributor
That set up is ripe for abuse, I prefer the USMCR's system as explained on the second page here.

...Honestly, it's really no less kosher than someone who shows up for muster and disappears until the end of the weekend until the final muster!

Definitely not kosher and not tolerated everywhere either, just ask the CDR in my unit who got a UA for sleeping in late on a DWE and didn't show up unitl lunch. The system relies on folks to follow the rules, and that includes the CO's who let that kind of crap happen.
 

subreservist

Well-Known Member
Definitely not kosher and not tolerated everywhere either, just ask the CDR in my unit who got a UA for sleeping in late on a DWE and didn't show up unitl lunch. The system relies on folks to follow the rules, and that includes the CO's who let that kind of crap happen.

Not quite the same thing, as he didn't show for the original muster. But I get what you're sayin'. I'm not really speaking of actually breaking rules (missing muster in this case), but those who take advantage of the rules in place. All units are different, but if you are part of a unit where you have no "true" function, then unless there is unit training or PFA, you don't have much engaging work. I've seen plenty of reservists filling time with various activities, whether in the NOSC, on base (if that applies) or out of the building/off base. It's not surprising to see someone only at musters and that's it. But they aren't breaking rules.

I drill in both Chicago and Atlanta, so it's plenty of other things you can do in both places. I've seen reservists spending quite a bit of time at the Navy Exchange (don't ask how I know ;))!

So, is that "breaking a rule"? I mean, if you're up to date on GMT, medical, PFA, unit training, etc, etc and now you are just sitting there waiting on paint to dry or making casual conversation on who is going/winning the Superbowl...well...I dunno...funny thing is for those having the conversations, they are distracting the unit members who actually have the working jobs...lol! One could say, it's actually to the benefit of the unit for them to go off and "find" something to do!
 

subreservist

Well-Known Member

It's actually already been abused. @Gatordev, the option to telework was in place in the latest 1001.5, but you had to "search" for it. It wasn't well known and if you did know, it was basically letting your CO know you were working from home, him or her saying ok and telling the muster official to mark you off accordingly (or CO did it).

Now, there are more fingers in the pot - instructions, training and letters in place in an attempt to deter or enforce (i.e. mitigate abuse). So, if the unit can't get by-in on why they should be allowed to telework (approval from the OSO of the command they support), they can't play the game.

@Flash...good article! I wish you had posted it before I combed through all the instructions...lol!! It pretty much answered everyone's questions posed on here.

Not surprising that the Marines is more restrictive...but that's normal...Marine stuff is always more restrictive! I also think the argument could be made that the Air Force and Navy are more "paper-pusher" services than Army and Marines; telework kinda lends itself towards paper-pushing activity. Not surprised the Army is last in this...
 
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CoyoteK

Member
Telework is the future, good bad or indifferent. As a fed contractor, I am actually encouraged to telework weekly and my company gets good-guy points for demonstrating how they have shrunk their carbon footprint through telework initiatives. It is abused repeatedly but it is here to stay, IMO. The people who are abusing it are the same people that sit around and surf airwarriors.com while at work....:D so they would be accomplishing about as much anyways.

I am sure when internet was implemented in government offices, manager's heads exploded across the globe but the world kept spinning. Effective managers and leaders can always make sure the mission is getting accomplished.
 

Gatordev

Well-Known Member
pilot
Site Admin
Contributor
I can see how telework has it's place, but my background is operational hardware and not strategic Reserve. It wouldn't have worked in my commands because everyone had to show up and produce something (qual progression, flight hours, etc). If they didn't, they didn't get more money. I was fortunate that I usually had access to money, so it was a good carrot/stick to use to get people to be more productive when they came in.
 

Flash

SEVAL/ECMO
None
Super Moderator
Contributor
Telework is the future, good bad or indifferent...I am sure when internet was implemented in government offices, manager's heads exploded across the globe but the world kept spinning. Effective managers and leaders can always make sure the mission is getting accomplished.

I can see how telework has it's place, but my background is operational hardware and not strategic Reserve...

The reserves isn't 'normal' work even if you are in the 'strategic' reserve so the whole telework thing doesn't always translate like it does in the civilian world, starting with the physical requirements but not ending there. Simply showing up is part of being in the reserves and often a good check to see if you are actually up and ready to go. Roughly 25% of the folks who were mobilized at the height of things a few years ago did not get downrange, the vast majority of those were physically DQ'd. While there were several quirks that DQ'd otherwise physically qualified folks (any back issues were disqualifying at one point, even if you had been previously cleared) there were a lot of folks who had skated through the system one way or another but finally got dinged when they had to actually fulfill their reserve duty and actually do what a reservist is meant to do. They didn't and others had to pick up the slack.

From my perspective a good portion of the folks who are going to use this the most are also likely to be the folks that just abuse the system to begin with. Did the setup before telework work very well? Apparently not since ~25% of those mobilized ended up not mob'ing but this new setup could make it worse. I think the USCMR is striking the right balance by making it an exception to the rule while the USNR instruction leaves it wide open. That and the USNR already provides plenty of opportunities for folks to flex drill, reschedule, or cross-assign with other units all of which are more the rule than the exception nowadays from my experience.

There will be some folks who will do fine with telework and still make a useful contribution to the USNR but there are way too many who are going to make it a disgraceful scam, ensuring they get theirs and the US Navy is left holding the bag when they are really needed much like the folks who transfer to the IRR when mob'd. At what point does it stop becoming the reserves and become just a retirement plan?
 

Uncle Fester

Robot Pimp
None
Super Moderator
Contributor
The advantage of a telework arrangement is that it's a way around the trend of concentrating Reserve units in the Fleet concentration areas. It's not totally a substitute for physical presence, but for a lot of the routine admin work - i.e., what RMPs are supposed to be for - it makes no sense to have a SELRES drive several hours to the NOSC or the unit building just to answer emails and chop forms. You can do that just as easily from home, and it also prevents the "Chief so-and-so has the chop on that and he won't be in until next Thursday" phenomenon. I've seen stuff get hung up because a reservist who needs to review/chop/answer it isn't local and can't come in routinely.
 

Flash

SEVAL/ECMO
None
Super Moderator
Contributor
The advantage of a telework arrangement is that it's a way around the trend of concentrating Reserve units in the Fleet concentration areas. It's not totally a substitute for physical presence, but for a lot of the routine admin work - i.e., what RMPs are supposed to be for - it makes no sense to have a SELRES drive several hours to the NOSC or the unit building just to answer emails and chop forms. You can do that just as easily from home, and it also prevents the "Chief so-and-so has the chop on that and he won't be in until next Thursday" phenomenon. I've seen stuff get hung up because a reservist who needs to review/chop/answer it isn't local and can't come in routinely.

But give some folks an inch though...I am just a little tired of folks just taking the reserves for a ride and fucking over those who actually put in the work when push comes to shove. My point about resked'ing and flex drill remains as well, I use those all the time for routine admin work.
 
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