Reserve Call-up Hits IT Security Department

Computerworld - As if the everyday stress of my information security job were not enough, our department was hit with a bombshell. I'm in the U.S. Air Force Reserve, and my unit activated me. I've been out of the office for a couple of weeks now, and I'm attempting to contribute at work as best I can using my laptop and cell phone.
I got the call on a Thursday and had to report to the base the next day to sign in. Fortunately, I live near the base, so I'm able to return home on the weekends. I received word just prior to the war that I was going to be activated, so I was able to give my boss and security team advance warning. They weren't happy, but they were supportive and seemed more concerned that I return home safely than that I deal with unfinished business before my departure.
By law, my company must let me participate in the Reserve and must hold my position for me until I return. Although companies are required to hold reservists' jobs, they aren't required to pay them while they're gone.
Fortunately, my company will continue to pay me for the first six months of activation. That's a pretty good deal, since the difference between military and civilian pay is steep. (For some of my peers, the pay difference has been devastating.) Hopefully, I'll be released before the full six months are up.
In preparing for my departure, I transferred as many of my duties as possible to the staff. Right now, my major projects include deploying a wireless LAN, centralizing Unix authentication, performing application assessments and attending architecture review meetings for current and proposed applications. My other duties include things like documenting policy, procedures and standards; conducting investigations; and handling the administration of some critical security applications. I compiled a list of all of these tasks and approached my staffers to see who wanted to take over what. Although everyone is already stretched thin, they all pitched in and relieved me of the critical duties that I can't perform remotely. For now, I'm still available by cell phone and e-mail when questions or issues arise.
Remote Mode
As a full-time telecommuter, I'm using my company's Cisco virtual private network (VPN) concentrators for LAN access. Although the performance isn't as fast as it would be if I were at my desk, it has been sufficient to allow me to get work done when I'm off duty from my new day job. My department