Arkansas National Guard Business Mobilization Planning Guide
By Herb Lawrence, Center Director, Arkansas State University Small Business and Technology Development Center
Since the War on Terror began Arkansas’s citizen soldiers have been called upon to leave their civilian lives and meet their military commitments in overseas and combat tours. Many units and guardsmen have made two, three or more tours and too many have made the ultimate sacrifice to their country in the ongoing struggles across the globe.
Nearly 13,000 Arkansas Guardsmen have deployed since Sep 11, 2001. Today we have over 400 overseas with more deployments to follow in the coming year. The 39th Infantry Brigade Combat Team has been slated for a 3rd rotation in 2012 for Operation Enduring Freedom as part of their “normal” rotation, estimated at 3,000 more of our citizen soldiers going into harms way. Many of these guardsmen and women are also small business owners or self-employed facing challenges to their civilian careers while juggling their military commitments. The Arkansas Small Business and Technology Development Center’s National Guard Business Mobilization Planning Guide was created to help these soldiers and airmen make good decisions about their small businesses as they face deployment.
For these servicemen and women serving their country has required long periods of time away from their families and careers. Many guardsmen and reservists are also small business owners or self-employed. While those service members who are employed by other organizations have their jobs protected, for self-employed or small business owners no such protection exists for their businesses. And for many of these small veteran owned businesses their service to their country has resulted in failed businesses when they returned.
Since 2006 the Arkansas Small Business and Technology Development
Center has dedicated significant resources to reaching out and helping these veteran small business owners deal with the challenges of mobilization and keeping their businesses.
In 2006 Major General William Wofford, then newly appointed as he state Adjutant General, began working with the ASBTDC to find a way to help this subset of his Guardsmen facing deployment and dealing with what to do with their businesses. The result was the first Mobilization Planning Guide just in time for the 2nd deployment of the 39th Infantry Brigade Combat Team to Iraq. With the Mobilization Plan completed, members of the ASBTDC joined the Arkansas National Guard’ Deployment Team attending mobilization events around the state, meeting with those soldiers who owned a business, providing copies of the Mobilization Plan, discussing the soldier’s particular type of business and connecting them with business consultants at one of the 7 SBTDC offices around the state.
Since the 2nd deployment of the 39th Infantry Brigade Combat Team the ASBTDC and the Arkansas National Guard have continued to meet with deploying service members, providing copies of the Mobilization Business Planning Guide and providing consulting assistance.
In addition to providing hard copies of the Mobilization Planning Guide the ASBTDC has electronic copies available for download at the ASBTDC website, our Arkansas Veterans Web Portal and the Arkansas National Guard website. In addition to downloading the PDF version, Timothy Lee of the UALR SBTDC, and retired Air Force veteran created a video that is also available.
If you are a member of the National Guard or Reserves or a family member and own your own business regardless of the state you reside in, I would encourage you to take advantage of our Planning Guide. You have served your country in this War on Terrorism, let us show our appreciation for your sacrifice with this free guide.
Ready To Go: A Mobilization Planning Guide for Small Business Owners
This planning guide was prepared for business owners and self-employed members of the Arkansas National Guard and Reserves by Herb Lawrence with the ASBTDC in conjunction with the Office of the Adjutant General Arkansas National Guard
- What is the plan for?
Prepare your business interests before actual alerts and mobilization
Research options for the business upon mobilization
Get your business affairs in order
Ensure your customers are taken care of during your military service provides suggested procedures, checklists, and letters to facilitate your business readiness process
As we prepare to go into our 3rd Edition would love to get your feedback and any suggestions to help us improve the eBook and thank you again for your service
Next Friday, funding options for military veteran for business operations.
If you have any questions about this guide, or the ASBTDC services that are available to military veterans please contact me at (870) 972-3517 e-mail me at hlawrenc@astate.edu, visit the Arkansas Veterans Web Portal or join us on your favorite social media. Arkansas Veterans on Facebook or ARVeteran on Twitter.
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