The Drumbeats of War Are Getting Louder
Posted: November 13, 2023 Filed under: Admin Actions, Exemptions From Involuntary Mobilization, Futures Preserved, IRR Delay and Exemption Updates, REFRAD, Unqualified Resignations, UQR Leave a commentUkraine and Russia. Gaza more recently, along with Air Strikes in Syria last week. And then there’s the more or less constant, background thrum associated with China.
Whenever the drumbeats get louder, the military will, understandably, want to hold onto whatever resources they have, with an eye towards augmenting same in anticipation of more conflict to come.
We haven’t seen or heard anything yet, that DoD broadly — or the Army specifically — is thinking about reinstating the IRR involuntary mobilization policy which was in place from roughly 2003-2010 — the Iraq, Afghanistan, surge timeframe. But, increasing war clouds generally signal that any personnel action, such as a REFRAD or UQR, will be subjected to tighter scrutiny.
On the other hand, commanders and their SJAs and JAG assets sometimes get a little less vigorous with Boards of Inquiry (BOI) and Show Cause actions in these times. You want to hang onto people, not eliminate them. So, there’s more opportunity now to have a favorable discussion with an SJA, a deputy or a Chief of Justice looking to make a recommendation to their CG or Brigade Commander viz what to do with a particular case/officer/Soldier.
If you or someone you know is considering – or in the midst of – a REFRAD or UQR action, or, if you’re facing a Board of Inquiry (BOI), give us a call or shoot an email. We’d be happy to discuss your situation thoroughly, free of charge. Bill Meili, 214 363-1828 or info@meililaw.com
Army Aviators ADSOs Extended and 1,500 Active Duty To The Border
Posted: May 3, 2023 Filed under: Announcements, Exemptions From Involuntary Mobilization, IRR Delay and Exemption Updates, Leadership, REFRAD, Unqualified Resignations, UQR Leave a commentCouple of recent headlines caught our attention this week. The determination of when an officer’s ADSO actually ends can be a bit dicey, what with BRADSOs and PCS changes adding time onto already existing active duty service obligation requirements. When you throw in the additional service times linked to things like completion of flight school or medical school — basic and post-graduate, it can get cumbersome.
And so the news last week that HRC announced a turn-around in policy re aviators’ ADSOs I thought, well, that’s going to upend lives, plans and near-term futures in a big way. I did see something in a news release about HRC saying that it would look at individual requests on a case-by-case basis from those affected by the policy re-interpretation. My translation on that is that as with UQR and/or REFRAD requests generally, officer applicants with hardships which can be substantiated — on a case-by-case basis — have the best chance of securing an HRC approval. And we’ve been helping officers effectively articulate and prove (ie substantiate) their individual hardships for decades. It’s one of the important things we do.
On the other headline — the 1,500 active duty troops apparently heading to the border with Mexico in the coming month, that’s interesting. The Posse Comitatus Act prevents our military troops — active, Reserve or Guard — from performing direct law enforcement work. That’s reserved for local police, sheriffs’ departments and Border Patrol agents primarily. The military can “assist” those local and federal personnel and departments, and support them with material/equipment, technology, and intelligence assessment and gathering among other things, but the lines between this support and active (direct) law enforcement can get a little murky pretty quickly. In addition, we’ve had a Texas Army National Guard operation down there on the border for a couple of years now at least. The influx of active duty Army troops, with their accompanying chains of command and lines of communication, will have to, “blend,” with existing Guard operations, and that won’t be easy even under the best of scenarios. Strong, experienced and focused leadership, top down, will be essential in order to figure out (1) what the mission objectives are, (2) how best to realize those objectives, and (3) how to assess — constantly, literally day by day — the changing situation on the ground.
Moreover, in a piece I saw this morning, it said that the active troop presence is supposed to be/might be temporary, which translates in my experience to Reserve and or Guard forces being brought in to replace and augment the active duty folks when they rotate back to home station. So, if you are Reserve or Guard, and you haven’t seen a warning order yet for mobilization in support of Border ops, check things out with your unit — it might be coming down the pike. And, if you simply have too much on your plate, family, civilian job, military responsibilities — all of the above — we might be able to help with an exemption from involuntary mobilization IAW AR 601-25. It’s also something we do, and have done for the past twenty years.
Feel free to give us a call: 214 363-1828 or drop an email: info@meililaw.com. We’d be happy to visit with you about possible concerns you might have with any or all of this. Very respectfully, Bill Meili
Some Good Results Recently
Posted: May 23, 2022 Filed under: Announcements, Client Care, Exemptions From Involuntary Mobilization, Officer Resignations, Transfer to the IRR, Unqualified Resignations, UQR | Tags: Successful Case Resolutions Leave a commentWe’ve had several UQR approvals come down from HRC the past several months, and grateful for those. Additionally, a client who was struggling and feeling “trapped” in his situation has been moved into the DES (Disability Evaluation System) track. This officer’s testimonial will soon be up on this site, and is up as of this morning on my Avvo.com site. http://meililaw.com/p/military-law-attorney-Disability-Evaluation-System-(DES)-Representation-p59366.asp. Additionally, happy to report that 3 new clients — whose cases (one exemption from Mobilization, one IRR transfer, and one COVID Vax refusal UQR) were all frustratingly stalled — have seen significant relief just in the past week/ten days. That’s a good news story any time.
If you, or someone you know, is facing an increasingly frustrating or career threatening situation, give us a call. We’d be happy to discuss whatever’s going on.
Thank you for your continued support, trust and confidence in what we do.
Bill Meili, 214 363-1828 or info@meililaw.com
It Might Be Time for an IRR Status Check
Posted: November 15, 2016 Filed under: Announcements, Client Care, Client Communication, Exemptions From Involuntary Mobilization, IRR Delay and Exemption Updates, Unqualified Resignations Leave a commentIn light of changing times and administrations, here’s a blog post I drafted about 5 years ago. The info still holds. If you’re in the IRR and past your 8 year statutory obligation — (your MSO) — you might want to check your current status. I can help with that. Also, if you know someone in the Army nearing his or her MSO, please feel free to pass this on. Thanks. v/r, Bill
https://meililaw.wordpress.com/…/are-you-an-army-officer-i…/
Testimonial — Exemption From Involuntary Mobilization — Navy Officer
Posted: February 18, 2013 Filed under: Announcements, Client Communication, Exemptions From Involuntary Mobilization, Futures Preserved Leave a commentExemption From a Navy Involuntary Mobilization — Testimonial
Being contemporaneously in the military reserves and at a critical juncture in your civilian job, and then being mobilized, is a nightmare that recently found its way into the reality of my life. After 16 years in the Air Force and now Navy (both active duty and Reserves), I was facing a one year mobilization to Afghanistan. My situation was difficult as I am employed overseas in a company that does not follow US law. As an executive in the company, I was told that my job would not be guaranteed upon my return. Further, because I worked overseas and my family was stateside, the mobilization would be doubly detrimental. I, therefore, sought Mr. William Meili’s assistance.
From the first telephone conversation Bill treated the situation with very great professional and personal aplomb. All options were presented and discussed with my spouse and me. While considerable work was done electronically and by phone the initial discussion was up close and personal. Bill flew to my home state in order to interview both my spouse and myself-together and alone. Virtually, every stone was turned over and examined. A punch list was developed with assignments and timelines since I was given only 6 weeks to mobilize and my daughter’s wedding was within that timeframe. It was a very stressful period. Local command was not sympathetic, nor was a Review Board.
This did not deter Bill from ferreting out the possibilities. Of course, being a veteran of the service and a seasoned JAG officer, his insider knowledge was a tremendous asset. His contacts in military personnel and command hierarchy make him uniquely positioned to adjudicate such difficult issues. He was relentless with follow-up, which included weekends, and staying on point, which mitigated much of the anxiety that I and the family were experiencing. His advice was not only consoling but pragmatic — never over the top, but cautiously optimistic. The entire process was a unified partnership.
The entire formal process took 6 weeks to investigate, prepare and submit. Behind the scenes Bill quietly and effectively worked his contacts for guidance as well as support. It all came together with an outcome that was positive for all parties.
Since that time Bill has remained in contact with me regarding my status and whether there have been any follow up problems.
In sum, Bill Meili is not only the expert when it comes to dealing with thorny issues involving military duty and complex civilian career situations, but also a down-to-earth human being who makes every effort to get the job done in a compassionately professional manner.
I cannot recommend him highly enough. He stands out in the legal profession.
Bill Meili, Attorney at Law - Military Law and Show Cause Board of Inquiry Defense 