I'm curious if there are folks out there successfully juggling a career in systems administration while serving in the National Guard. Is this even a realistic goal? I think having a larger team might make it more possible, but I'm looking for personal experiences to get a clearer picture!
Some things I'm wondering about include whether drill weekends affect your relationship with your managers, and how deployments impact staying current with technology in your job.
5 Answers
I had a coworker who was in a similar situation. His deployment was rough on us, as someone had to cover for him, but we managed. Just make sure to document your work well for the times you’re away. Coming back can be challenging since things change quickly in tech, but the culture at my workplace was understanding about drill weekends, similar to taking a vacation.
I've done this for nearly 10 years, and it’s totally doable—especially if you can find a remote job. The biggest hurdle I've faced was taking unpaid leave for my two-week drill cycles, and sometimes I had to work weeks without a day off. Open communication with your manager is crucial; supportive managers make a huge difference in how you navigate your Guard obligations.
I’ve managed to successfully balance IT work in the Guard with my civilian job for 7 years. The training from the Army was invaluable in helping me land my first real IT job. While I've had my share of less understanding employers, I currently work for a company that’s very supportive of Guardsmen, so I think it really depends on where you land.
From what I’ve seen, your regular 9-5 shouldn’t be heavily impacted by drill weekends. Annual training is usually just two weeks away each year, not a big deal. However, deployment can really complicate things. Most companies struggle to keep someone in a critical tech role away for 6 to 15 months, and smaller companies might not be able to hold your position open. Larger companies must comply with reemploying you after deployment under USERRA, but your coworkers might feel pressured to pick up your slack while you’re gone, which is something to consider. Generally, it's tough to return to the same job after a long deployment unless you're with a supportive employer.
If you want to make this work, stick within the military industrial complex. Big companies that have government contracts typically understand and accommodate Guardsmen and Reservists quite well. You’ll find that IT practices in both environments can align well if you play your cards right.
> Drill weekends shouldn't heavily impact your 9-5.
Yeah, but they definitely can sometimes.