Operation Desert Shield

Reservists GAO surveyed cited a broad range of problems associated with their activation. These problems stemmed more from what they perceived as inequities in service call-up and assignment policies, coupled with what they saw as inadequate conditions at the installations where they were assigned, rather than from losses in income. Half the reservists GAO interviewed experienced a drop in income, however. About three-quarters of the 40 reservists said that they problems they encountered lowered their morale, and about one-quarter said that they would not reenlist.

GAO found that: (1) reservists indicated dissatisfaction with the uncertain length of their call-up period, the fact that not all members of their units had been activated, the dispersal of members to installations other than their planned mobilization station, and their assignment to jobs for which they had not been trained prior to arrival at their mobilization stations; (2) 11 of the 40 reservists interviewed complained of hardships in resolving affairs as a result of short notification times; (3) reservists complained of such poor conditions at duty stations as inadequate living quarters, lack of necessary equipment and special clothing, installation failure to adjust the hours of operations of key support offices and facilities to accommodate the reservists' work schedules, and lack of timeliness in receiving pay and travel reimbursements; (4) 20 of the 40 reservists reported experiencing some loss of income, whereas the military income of 11 reservists exceeded their civilian income, and the income for the other 9 remained about the same; (5) the amount of assistance civilian employers provided to their reservist employees, in terms of pay, health and life insurance, and other benefits, varied widely; (6) 11 of the 40 reservists said they would not reenlist; and (7) 31 of the 40 reservists indicated that the problems they encountered had a detrimental effect of their morale.