ALEXANDRIA, Va. (Army News Service, Oct. 16, 2003) -- The 125,000 Army Reserve and National Guard Soldiers currently mobilized for the war on terror will have help finding jobs when they go home.

The Army Career and Alumni Program Demobilization Center that opened in Alexandria, Va., Sept. 29 will help them find new jobs, said James Hoffman, program director.

“Things change,” Hoffman said. “A Soldier gets home after being mobilized and finds the job he was counting on isn’t there anymore; maybe the company folded, or maybe that Soldier realized he has grown and the old job just wasn’t right any longer.”

The center responds to questions about eligibility for transition services and benefits as well as offer referral to other service providers such as the Department of Labor and Department of State Employment Office and Veterans Affairs.

Program officials are giving reserve-component Soldiers business cards with contact information as they demobilize, Hoffman said.

A returning Reservist or Guardsman can be put in touch with the person who can help by calling 1-877-722-2270 or emailing acap4rc@hoffman.army.mil. Additional details are at www.acap.army.mil.

In addition, Soldiers who want to return to their jobs have reinstatement rights under the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act. More information about that can be found at the offices of the Employer Support to the Guard and Reserve at www.esgr.org.

(Editor’s note: A press release from the Human Resources Command contributed to this report.)