Campus workers on military leave

While others watch the war in Iraq on CNN, a few members of the University and Borough community are experiencing wartime military duty firsthand.

Two University employees — whose names remain confidential for privacy reasons — are currently on military leave, though one is expected back within 30 days, Human Resources representative Vikki Ridge said.

Unlike many other municipalities and cities around the country, however, the Borough police and fire departments have not suffered a manpower shortage due to the war.

"Several people have already done their time," said Borough Police Lt. John Reading. "Nobody's going to be called up for this war though."

The situation in the Princeton Borough Fire Department was similar.

"There's only one in the company out of about 80 to 85 that's in the war," said Borough Fire Chief Pat McAvenia.

That firefighter is on regular active duty, unlike those in the reserves that have only recently been called to action. He was already enlisted before the war and only serves as a firefighter in the Borough on breaks from military duty, McAvenia said.

The situation in Princeton contrasts with that of Massachusetts, where the call-up of military reservists has left a shortage of law enforcement personnel on the streets. State and local police have lost at least 88 officers to active military service, the Boston Globe reported.

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Federal regulations allow all University employees to take a leave of absence for active military service for up to five years.

"Under the law, no break in employment is considered to have occurred because of military service," the University Policy and Procedure Manual states.

Since the mobilization of troops earlier this month, the number of Princeton reservists called to active duty has been classified, a representative of the U.S. Army Reserves Center said.