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              DESERT SHIELD/STORM LESSONS LEARNED REPORT #F

         POC:                    [(b)(2)]

         TITLE:         Orders, Volunteer Backfill Program
        
         OBSERVATION: Many problems surfaced regarding the
         requesting procedure and policy for volunteer orders.
        
         DISCUSSION: Communication from HQ ARPC/DROC to SG was
         unclear. Many changes in DROC procedures for requesting
         orders and amendments were not made clear to SG. This
         caused a great deal of frustration and additional
         corrective action on the part of SG. The following reflect
         specific examples:
                   a. Several requests for orders were sent to DROC and
         were never processed. It is SG's perception that the
         majority of the time this was due to requests being
         rerouted to technicians other than those whom SG had been
         advised to send requests.
                    b. When the time came for voluntary tours to be
         curtailed due to involuntary mobilization, DROC decided to
         delay processing new requests until the day prior to tour
         start date to avoid publishing any unnecessary tours. This
         decision caused a great deal of discontent among Reservists
         since many of them had to start tours without orders or
         pay. This practice also greatly increased the number of
         incoming telephone calls and outgoing FAXs.
                     c. DROC's requirement for SG to send advance listings
         of volunteers who had been approved for extension beyond
         the 139-day MPA manday limitation was not known to SG.
         This lack of communication caused many delays in orders
         processing since DROC technicians had to call SGR to
         confirm extension approvals. Processing involuntary IMA
         call-up/mobilization orders had priority over the voluntary
         orders in DROC. This policy caused many delays and much
         inconvenience to the volunteers. The volunteers deserved
         as efficient customer service, if not more, as the
         involuntarily activated IMAs.
        
         LESSONS LEARNED: Better communication and definition of
         requirements is essential for efficient orders processing.
        
         RECOMMENDED ACTIONS: Constantly share information between
         affected OPRs during a contingency through regularly
         scheduled meetings, memoranda, etc. Additionally, keep
         customer service for all programs as a priority during a
         contingency as well as during normal operations.
        
        HQ ARPC/RC RELATED ITEK: 2
        

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