Guest Commentary - What Exactly Is An 'Active Soldier'? Councilman Robles Needs to Be Honest With Himself, and Us
As an older veteran, I just wish he would stop pumping up his military status and just be himself - a city council member who happens to serve in the National Guard is just fine as it is.
City Councilman Sergio Robles has never been shy to remind us he is a member of the California Army National Guard. But in my opinion, and based on Department of Defense (DOD) regulations, he is also guilty of pumping up his soldier status for our consumption and his.
Robles is a 'Specialist' in the Army National Guard. That means he meets one weekend a month and participates two weeks a year for actual exercises in whatever occupation he signed up for--anything from a clerk typist to an infantryman, who knows. In colloquial terms veterans, they are known as 'Weekend Warriors' or 'Part Time Soldiers'. He earns about $400 a month for his weekend service.
In the way of background, I enlisted in the U.S. Army in 1975 and served one term and very much appreciate the veteran benefits awarded to me after I served. But I winced when Robles was named the Grand Marshall of the Veterans Day parade last year. I thought that a 'veteran' should have been awarded that honor.
The DOD defines a veteran as someone who was deployed in active duty, or in the case of the National Guard, retired with at least 20 years service. I was more surprised that a veteran such as Councilman Spease or one of hundreds of veterans residing in Elk Grove was not chosen as Grand Marshall.
Fast forward to this year and my wince turned to disgust. On Veterans Day, Robles posted on his Facebook page that he was deeply honored to serve as an 'active soldier' in the California National Guard. I don't mean to split hairs here, but the DOD defines "Active Duty" as:
- full-time duty, such as, but not limited to, a unit deployment during war, including travel to and from such duty, OR
- Full-time National Guard duty (Title 32) - full-time duty, such as responding to a national emergency or duties as an Active Guard Reserve, where you receive pay from the Federal government (as opposed from the State)
I don't personally know Sergio Robles, but as an older veteran, I just wish he would stop pumping up his military status and just be himself - a city council member who happens to serve in the National Guard is just fine as it is.
Photo by Elizabeth Moseley, CALEANGUS
