Federal Workers With Fatigues in Closet Await Calls to Duty

Sally Wallace joined the Army Reserve in 1976 for fun, travel and adventure, but always was aware that her personal life could be interrupted on short notice when the military called. These days, that’s a strong possibility.

A computer security specialist at the Department of Veterans Affairs, Wallace was one of 49 department employees honored Wednesday by their boss, Secretary Anthony J. Principi. The ceremony, recognizing employees who are in the National Guard or the Reserves, was the first of many that will occur across the country in coming weeks.

Three weeks ago, only 53,000 reservists were mobilized; today, more than 150,000 are preparing for active duty. Though some have as long as two weeks to report when they are called up, others have only 24 hours.

Members of the Reserves and National Guard can be assigned to active duty for as long as two years, though shorter periods are more likely. When they are not on active duty, they normally train one weekend a month and serve a two-week annual tour. The primary distinction between the two systems is that while the Reserves are under the direct control of the Department of Defense, the National Guard is also responsible to state governors.

Wallace, 50, lives in Fairfax, Va., with her husband, James Dunphy, also a reservist, and 7-year-old son, Peter. She would provide technical assistance for the Department of Defense if called to duty, initially reporting to a nearby suburb. But she said she knows she could be sent wherever the Army needs her.

Although she has been preparing for a call-up since she joined the Reserves, Wallace is a little nervous about the prospect of active duty during wartime. “I haven’t fired a weapon since 1998 and haven’t used the new state-of-the-art equipment,” she said.

Wallace said her son will be scared if she and her husband are called up. She wants to wait until she receives a call to mobilize before explaining to her son that she has to leave.

“He knows we are in the Reserves, and if we were called, we would tell him we have to do something important for the country,” Wallace said. “It would be hard for him.”

Principi said he hoped that Wednesday’s ceremony showed those reservists who may be called up that they would be remembered while on active duty.

“We expect to lose people [to duty] in the coming weeks and we want to ensure that our employees understand that throughout the ranks, people are willing to sacrifice,” Principi said.