Military

Drilling reservists are paid in blocks of four hours (unless on active duty orders). A typical drill weekend is two four-blocks on Saturday, and same on Sunday.

Commonly-expressed thought is that drill ends at the end of the afternoon four hour block, ie, 1600 hours. The only way reservists in inactive drill status can be made to stay late is if they're issued orders.

Recently, due to various logistical and workflow challenges at my reserve center, the typical assignments and mandatory training on a drill day is not done by 1600 hours. The drilling reservists are being verbally "ordered" to stay at the reserve center until the work is done, sometimes going until 2000 hours or later. And this is without pay after 1600.

Is there federal law which allows drilling reservists to be told to stay late without written orders, even though their pay ended hours earlier as they're paid in blocks of four hours? I've had former commanding officers state they had no authority to do it, while other COs say they have the authority (even though they cannot provide a legal reference).

This is having a major impact on morale and reservists' ability to head home on Sunday afternoon on time; many have a multi-hour drive home or flight to catch at the airport.

Edited by user Sunday, April 22, 2018 6:39:58 AM(UTC)  | Reason: Not specified