On July 12th the ArmyTimes published Recalled To Duty with references to their interview with me. Overall I'm happy with the article, but there are a couple of minor corrections I want to make for the record. It says I've been out for 2 years but it was really 3 -- I entered the Inactive National Guard (ING) in January 2001. The ING is the national guard equivalent to the IRR, but you can only be in the ING for 12 months, after which you must either return to a drilling unit or be automatically transferred to the IRR.

Later the article says that I'm back in the Ohio National Guard due to the call-up, but that's not really true. Once I was transferred from the ING to the IRR, I was no longer associated with the Ohio NG. I'm part of the federal army reserve. So now I'm simply an active duty reserve soldier, not a national guard soldier. Not that that makes much difference...

The last correction I'd like to make is to my military career info. The article says I entered the IRR in 1997, but it should read that I received my commission in 1997 (upon graduating from OSU). I didn't enter the IRR until 2002 (after spending a year in the ING). That paragraph ends correctly, though, stating “which means he has an IRR commitment until July 2005”. Officers have an 8 year commitment starting from their commission date.

Overall I think the article was well-done and did a good job of conveying a small part of my experience as an IRR call-up.