Eagan McAllister Associates clear the way for Marine Lt Col to serve in Afghanistan

Courtesy Photo | Lt Col Dave Riley, U.S. Marine Corps, from Mesa, Arizona, is currently serving in Kabul, Afghanistan as a deputy operations officer with the Office of Security Cooperation - Afghanistan. Riley, shown here working at his desk at Camp Eggers where he is stationed.  

KABUL, AFGHANISTAN

05.08.2006

Courtesy Story

DVIDS Hub       

by Senior Master Sgt. Darenda Rogers

KABUL, Afghanistan - Lt. Col. David J. Riley from Mesa, Ariz., is currently deployed here as a deputy operations officer with the Office of Security Cooperation - Afghanistan. Eagan McAllister Associates is Riley's employer where he functions as a Senior Analyst in a civilian capacity in Quantico, Virginia.

Riley expressed appreciation for his civilian supervisor who cleared the way for him to focus on the job here by assuring him that his job will be there when he gets home.

Today, more than 1.2 million members of the National Guard and Reserve continue to perform an increasing number of unique missions that require extraordinary actions on the part of everyday citizens. Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve (ESGR) is the primary resource for information about the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act, commonly known as USERRA. This federal law allows Riley and other mobilized reserve component members to retain their rights, when the deployment concludes.

Established in 1972, Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve (ESGR), a DoD agency, provides free USERRA education, consultation, and if necessary, mediation for employers of Guard and Reserve employees. The mission of ESGR is to gain and maintain active support from all public and private employers for the men and women of the National Guard and Reserve. More information about ESGR Employer Outreach Programs and volunteer opportunities is available at www.esgr.mil, or by calling the National Committee for Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve at [phone].

Family is also an important part of Riley's experience in the military. Married 16 years, he and his wife, Christine, have 6 children: Maura, Jack, Peter, Noah, Carolyn, and Christopher. "That's what I miss the most," he reflects, 'the time with my family."

Riley, with 19 years of service, was called back to active duty from the Individual Ready Reserve, in 2002.

According to this quiet, focused officer, "people make the job worthwhile."

Riley's current deployment is in support of Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) under the military command of U.S. Central Command (USCENTCOM), which is located at MacDill Air Force Base, Tampa, Fla.

USCENTCOM is one of nine unified commands in the Department of Defense (DOD). It is a unified command responsible for U.S. interests in 27 nations, USCENTCOM stretches from the Horn of Africa (HOA) throughout the Arabian Gulf region, and into central Asia.

The CENTCOM mission includes enhancing regional stability and demonstrating a steadfast commitment to regional security. CENTCOM is also responsible for executing the GWOT in its assigned area of responsibility (AOR) which includes Iraq, Afghanistan, and HOA. Other important USCENTCOM activities include humanitarian and security assistance programs, as well as combined training and education opportunities for military members in AOR nations.

OEF encompasses two major missions led by Combined Forces Command Afghanistan (CFC-A) and Combined Joint Task Force HOA.

CFC-A conducts full-spectrum operations throughout the combined joint operations area to defeat Al Qaeda and associated movements, establish an enduring Afghan security structure and reshape its posture for the Long War in order to set the conditions for long-term stability in Afghanistan.

Although Riley enjoys accomplishing the variety of tasks necessary in his job, he most enjoys getting out with the forces. He confirmed, "I really enjoy it when I get the opportunity to get off post and work with the Afghans . . . which is rare . . . because our responsibility is to train the Afghan forces."

ESGR

• Date Taken: 05.08.2006
• Date Posted: 05.08.2006 16:45
• Story ID: 6299
• Location: KABUL, AF