2007年VOA标准英语-US Military Reservists Answer the Call of Duty

By Sean Maroney
Washington, DC
14 February 2007
 
watch US Reservists report

 
U.S military reservists are also civilian¹ professionals
Hundreds of thousands of American men and women -- from all walks of life -- serve in the U.S. military reserves and National Guard.  Although not full-time² soldiers, reservists and guard members are trained for action and many serve overseas.  But as VOA's Sean Maroney reports, some of these part-time soldiers return home to very uncertain futures³.

It is every soldier's dream -- after spending months away from home -- to return safe and sound to family and friends. But for some soldiers, the homecoming is not so joyful⁴.

 
Debra Muhl, reservist, lost her job when she completed her tour of duty
Debra Muhl is a wife, mother and nurse in civilian life.  But as a lieutenant⁵ colonel in the U.S. Air Force Reserve, she had to leave all that behind for 11 months in Iraq.

When Muhl told her boss in December 2005 that she had to return for a second tour of duty, she says he had other plans.  "He said to me, 'Well, you had news for me on Tuesday.  Now, I have news for you today.  I've decided⁶ to eliminate your position.' "

Muhl is currently suing her employer, Sutter Health. She claims the health care services provider violated federal law. The company disagrees.

U.S. Secretary of Labor⁷ Elaine Chao explains the law in a video to the country's part-time soldiers. "As a member of the Guard or Reserve on active duty, you left behind your job to answer your country's call... When you come home from your mission, a law called USERRA guarantees that the job you left behind will be waiting for you," she says in the video.

 
U.S. Reservists
The U.S. Defense⁸ Department says reserve components⁹ make up 19 percent of American military personnel in Iraq and 28 percent in Afghanistan. The Labor Department tells VOA that the last comparable mobilization of the reserves and Guard was the first Gulf¹⁰ War.

Congress passed the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act in 1994. At that time, one in 55 troops claimed their employers violated the law. The Labor Department says the average now is one in 95.

The law requires employers to offer the same job or a better one when a reservist returns from active duty.

But in Muhl's case, Sutter Health says the law does not apply.  The company claims it was going to cut Muhl's position to save costs even before she asked for military leave. Now after more than 30 years in the Air Force, Muhl is heading to federal court to fight a battle -- this time at home.

1 civilian   

adj.平民的，民用的，民众的

参考例句：

• There is no reliable information about civilian casualties.关于平民的伤亡还没有确凿的信息。
• He resigned his commission to take up a civilian job.他辞去军职而从事平民工作。

2 full-time   

adj.满工作日的或工作周的，全时间的

参考例句：

• A full-time job may be too much for her.全天工作她恐怕吃不消。
• I don't know how she copes with looking after her family and doing a full-time job.既要照顾家庭又要全天工作，我不知道她是如何对付的。

3 futures   

n.期货，期货交易

参考例句：

• He continued his operations in cotton futures.他继续进行棉花期货交易。
• Cotton futures are selling at high prices.棉花期货交易的卖价是很高的。

4 joyful   

adj.欢乐的，令人欢欣的

参考例句：

• She was joyful of her good result of the scientific experiments.她为自己的科学实验取得好成果而高兴。
• They were singing and dancing to celebrate this joyful occasion.他们唱着、跳着庆祝这令人欢乐的时刻。

5 lieutenant   

n.陆军中尉，海军上尉；代理官员，副职官员

参考例句：

• He was promoted to be a lieutenant in the army.他被提升为陆军中尉。
• He prevailed on the lieutenant to send in a short note.他说动那个副官，递上了一张简短的便条进去。

6 decided   

adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的

参考例句：

• This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
• There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。

7 labor   

n.劳动，努力，工作，劳工；分娩；vi.劳动，努力，苦干；vt.详细分析；麻烦

参考例句：

• We are never late in satisfying him for his labor.我们从不延误付给他劳动报酬。
• He was completely spent after two weeks of hard labor.艰苦劳动两周后，他已经疲惫不堪了。

8 defense   

n.防御，保卫；[pl.]防务工事；辩护，答辩

参考例句：

• The accused has the right to defense.被告人有权获得辩护。
• The war has impacted the area with military and defense workers.战争使那个地区挤满了军队和防御工程人员。

9 components   

（机器、设备等的）构成要素，零件，成分； 成分( component的名词复数 )； [物理化学]组分； [数学]分量； （混合物的）组成部分

参考例句：

• the components of a machine 机器部件
• Our chemistry teacher often reduces a compound to its components in lab. 在实验室中化学老师常把化合物分解为各种成分。

10 gulf   

n.海湾；深渊，鸿沟；分歧，隔阂

参考例句：

• The gulf between the two leaders cannot be bridged.两位领导人之间的鸿沟难以跨越。
• There is a gulf between the two cities.这两座城市间有个海湾。