Human Resource Development Before, During, and After Military Leave

The Problem Many organizations are ill-equipped to mitigate the talent management challenges associated with extended leave for military reservists. Today, reservists take more long-term leave from civilian employment than at any point in modern history, due to more frequent and longer periods of active service resulting from persistent conflict. Yet, there is a lack of research on managing the dual careers of military reservists, and limited guidance is available for human resource development (HRD) professionals. The Solution We propose that opportunity exists in the effective career management of reservists, who receive extensive military training. This article draws on inclusivity research to provide a model for managing the HRD aspects of extended military leave. Rather than focusing on the compliance aspects of military leave, we believe organizations can increase the performance, commitment, and career progression of reservists to better capitalize on the skills and competencies gained through military service. The Stakeholders This article offers practitioners of HRD and HRM insights into building inclusive organizations for military reservists. Implications may also be of interest to scholars of military psychology, military reservists, and military-connected employees.

The impact of the reserve military neurosurgeon: practice, community, and service

OBJECTIVEPapers from 2002 to 2017 have highlighted consistent unique socioeconomic challenges and opportunities facing military neurosurgeons. Here, the authors focus on the reserve military neurosurgeon who carries the dual mission of both civilian and military responsibilities.METHODSSurvey solicitation of current active duty and reserve military neurosurgeons was performed in conjunction with the AANS/CNS Joint Committee of Military Neurosurgeons and the Council of State Neurosurgical Societies. Demographic, qualitative, and quantitative data points were compared between reserve and active duty military neurosurgeons. Civilian neurosurgical provider data were taken from the 2016 NERVES (Neurosurgery Executives Resource Value and Education Society) Socio-Economic Survey. Economic modeling was done to forecast the impact of deployment or mobilization on the reserve neurosurgeon, neurosurgery practice, and the community.RESULTSSeventy-five percent (12/16) of current reserve neurosurgeons reported that they are satisfied with their military service. Reserve neurosurgeons make significant contributions to the military’s neurosurgical capabilities, with 75% (12/16) having been deployed during their career. No statistically significant demographic differences were found between those serving on active duty and those in the reserve service. However, those who served in the reserves were more likely to desire opportunities for improvement in the military workflow requirements compared with their active duty counterparts (p = 0.04); 92.9% (13/14) of current reserve neurosurgeons desired more flexible military drill programs specific to the needs of practicing physicians. The risk of reserve deployment is also borne by the practices, hospitals, and communities in which the neurosurgeon serves in civilian practice. This can result in fewer new patient encounters, decreased collections, decreased work relative value unit generation, increased operating costs per neurosurgeon, and intangible limitations on practice development. However, through modeling, the authors have illustrated that reserve physicians joining a larger group practice can significantly mitigate this risk. What remains astonishing is that 91.7% of those reserve neurosurgeons who were deployed noted the experience to be rewarding despite seeing a 20% reduction in income, on average, during the fiscal year of a 6-month deployment.CONCLUSIONSReserve neurosurgeons are satisfied with their military service while making substantial contributions to the military’s neurosurgical capabilities, with the overwhelming majority of current military reservists having been deployed or mobilized during their reserve commitments. Through the authors’ modeling, the impact of deployment on the military neurosurgeon, neurosurgeon’s practice, and the local community can be significantly mitigated by a larger practice environment.

Criteria and Indicators of Readiness of Military Reservistsin Higher Education Institutions

In the article approaches to defi nition of the concept “readiness of reserved soldiers in higher education institution” are analyzed, the structure of readiness is presented and on its basis criteria of readiness of military reservistsin higher education institution are developed: the motivational and valuable, including motives of obtaining military specialty, professionally signifi cant values, organizational and strong-willed qualities of the future of military reservists; substantial and cognitive — refl ecting compliance of theoretical knowledge, skills, abilities to program qualifi cation requirements; organizational and activity — including practical results of readiness of the military reservistsin higher education institutions: extent of realization in practice of knowledge, skills and abilities; ability to work in the conditions which are brought closer to a fi ghting situation; level of fi nishing knowledge and skills on a practical training to the level of abilities; ability to carry out a refl ection of own activity; possession of ways of design when carrying out a practical training in fi eld conditions. Levels of readiness of military reservistsin higher education institutions are also designated and characterized.

Wartime Crisis Management and Its Failure

This chapter looks at the Warsaw Citizens Committee, which emerged in August 1914 to assist in the basic provisioning of the city, finding work for the unemployed, assisting the families of military reservists called up to the Russian Army, and mobilizing financial resources to deal with the war's expected hardships. Those hardships, however, would be far greater than anticipated, leading to a rapid expansion of the committee's activities. Soon enough, the committee found itself involved in the organization of public kitchens, the sheltering of refugees, the setting of price controls, the monitoring of public health, and the protection of children. Eventually, with so many of Warsaw's inhabitants relying partially or completely on public support, escalating needs outstripped the city's financial resources. By the end of the war, a bankrupted city administration was unable to pay its own employees, let alone feed some two hundred thousand people in the public kitchens inherited from the Warsaw Citizens Committee.

Meeting needs: value chain collaboration in stabilisation and reconstruction operations

Purpose – From the perspective of value chains, the purpose of this paper is to analyse the organization of stabilization and reconstruction operations, most notably in Afghanistan, with the intention to improve the way the beneficiaries are involved. Design/methodology/approach – Case study: the paper first develops a theoretical framework that draws upon value chain literature. To gather empirical data fieldwork was done within the Dutch provincial reconstruction team (PRT) in Afghanistan. Methods that were used include interviews, participatory observation and desk study. Findings – In the value chain process six steps are identified: early warning, file and analysis, appraisal/qualification, assignment/management, execution and evaluation. Different categories of personnel (military, reservists, civilians) bring with them different backgrounds. This led to different opinions on who can be considered as the customer of the value chain. Moreover, personnel received different signals in the early warning step as to what needed to be done. From there on, different values and perspectives developed during the sequence of the various stages in the value chain that were not easily aligned. The formal structure of the work activities in the PRT was clear but did not match with the everyday reality. This showed another, much more fuzzy picture. Many mutual contacts were needed to overcome the coordination problems, but that required considerable additional efforts. Originality/value – The paper applies value chain literature to stabilization and reconstruction operations and focuses on the customers. It uses unique data and demonstrates the usefulness of a multidisciplinary approach.