Q-14. I’m in the National Guard and was called up for active duty. Can you help me?
Small Businesses that are owned by military reservists (National Guard and Reserve Members) and/or small businesses that employ military reservists called to active duty may qualify for Military Reservist Economic Injury Disaster Loans (MREIDL). Filing Period for small businesses to apply for economic injury loan assistance begins on the date the essential employee is ordered to active duty and ends 1 year after the essential employee is discharged or released from active duty. (NOTE: This program applies to military conflicts occurring or ending on or after March 24, 1999) The purpose of the Military Reservist Economic Injury Disaster Loan program (MREIDL) is to provide funds to eligible small businesses to meet its ordinary and necessary operating expenses that it could have met, but is unable to meet, because an essential employee was "called-up" to active duty in their role as a military reservist. These loans are intended only to provide the amount of working capital needed by a small business to pay its necessary obligations as they mature until operations return to normal after the essential employee is released from active military duty. The purpose of these loans is not to cover lost income or lost profits. MREIDL funds cannot be used to take the place of regular commercial debt, to refinance long-term debt or to expand the business. For more information visit http://www.sba.gov/reservists/.