Exercising the right we defend: Guard and reserve voting

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Wesley Wright
  • 442nd FW/PA
Whiteman AFB, Mo. --  One of the freedoms reservists protect while deployed is the privilege of choosing our representatives through democratic elections.

National Guard and Reserve members can exercise that right even while deployed, mobilized or activated thanks to rules enabling absentee voting.

Air Force Instruction 36-3107 covers information on voting, restrictions on related activities, rules for those assisting the voting process and guidelines for absentee voting.

Maj. Jennifer Burgett, 442nd FW Equal Opportunity office, is the unit point of contact for voting. She acts as liaison for the unit to the 509th Bomb Wing, which handles activated National Guard and Reserve who cast absentee ballots while assigned to Whiteman.

Burgett said a if a reservist or guardsman is on military orders, they can cast a absentee vote and have their say as any other citizen of the United States would in federal, state and local elections.

When a guardsman or reservist is on active duty, the member may partner with their unit or installation voting assistance officer (VAO), who can provide information and facilitate the process of filing an absentee ballot.

"If a member of the 442nd is activated and assigned here, I can guide them through the process and tell them with whom they need to meet," Burgett said.

According to Burgett, members deployed to an established base overseas have access to a VAO there to facilitate their request. If the member happens to be deployed to a forward-operating base, personnel support for contingency operations (PERSCO) handles the absentee vote.

In preparation for a deployment, Burgett said there is information on the internet guardsmen and reservists can access so they can know requirements and deadlines for their state or county.

"I encourage reservists to Google their state if they are going to deploy, as each state has instructions on absentee voting," Burgett said.

Burgett said she thinks being able to vote is important, -- especially when deployed.
"The ability to vote, even though one is deployed, reinforces the whole reason we are deployed," she said. "We should exercise the right we are protecting."

Burgett said she believes being able to vote while deployed or activated helps morale and reservists should not be excluded from voting just because they are deployed or on active duty status. By helping choose our leaders, one is included in the democratic process and knows their vote counts regardless if they are at home or abroad, Burgett said.

She also said she believes voting is a privilege and it is on the reservist or guardsman to step up, learn the process, and participate, regardless if they are deployed or not.

"On a forward-operating base, Airmen are in contact with PERSCO every day," she said, "there is nothing but choice keeping an Airman from voting.

Burgett said a large-scale home-station mobilization has not coincided with a national election since she has been with the 442nd, but with supporting deployments as the wing's top priority this year, she said the people and processes are ready to make it happen.