Whenever any academic employee of any community college district who, at the time of his or her resignation, was classified as regular, is reemployed within 39 months after his or her last day of paid service, the governing board of the district shall, disregarding the break in service, classify him or her as, and restore to him or her all of the rights, benefits and burdens of, a regular employee, except as otherwise provided in this code; provided, that time spent in active military service, as defined in Section 87700, subsequent to the last day of paid service shall not count as part of the aforesaid 39-month period.