(BPT) - Since Sept. 11, 2001, more than 800,000 reservists and national guardsmen have been called to leave their civilian life to serve the military full-time, with more than 250,000 pressed into active duty more than once.

A federal law, The Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act (USERRA), is intended to give reservists and others in the U.S. Armed Forces employment protections when they return to their civilian jobs.

But confusion about the federal law runs rampant. Without the proper knowledge, reservists are denied their rights to re-employment. Those adversely impacted include reservists in the Army, Air Force, Navy, Marines and Coast Guard, as well as the National Guard.