Army to Call Up Retired, Discharged Troops

[jlanni]

Army to Call Up Retired, Discharged Troops



By ROBERT BURNS, AP Military Writer

WASHINGTON - The Army is preparing to notify about 5,600 retired and discharged soldiers who are not members of the National Guard or Reserve that they will be involuntarily recalled to active duty for possible service in Iraq (news - web sites) or Afghanistan (news - web sites), Army officials said Tuesday.

It marks the first time the Army has called on the Individual Ready Reserve, as this category of reservists is known, in substantial numbers since the 1991 Gulf War (news - web sites). Several hundred of them have volunteered for active-duty service since the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks.


Those who are part of the involuntary call up are likely to be assigned to National Guard or Reserve units that have been mobilized for duty in Iraq or Afghanistan, according to Army officials who discussed some details Tuesday on condition they not be identified because a public announcement was planned for Wednesday.


Members of Congress were being notified of the decision Tuesday, the officials said.


Unlike members of the National Guard and Reserve, the individual reservists do not perform regularly scheduled training. Any former enlisted soldier who did not serve at least eight years on active duty is in the Individual Ready Reserve pool, as are all officers who have not resigned their commission.


The Army has been reviewing its list of 118,000 eligible individual reservists for several weeks in search of qualified people in certain high-priority skill areas like civil affairs.

[NcDeuce]

The Army is preparing to notify about 5,600 retired and discharged soldiers

Thrown into NG and reserve units? Hmm, interesting...


WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Pentagon officials Tuesday told members of Congress about Army plans to call up as many as 6,500 reserve soldiers from a rarely tapped pool for service in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Pentagon officials said the troops will fill holes in units deploying to Iraq and Afghanistan as part of the ongoing rotation of troops in and out of those combat zones. (Full story)

An Army announcement to call up these troops, members of the Individual Ready Reserve, is expected Wednesday, according to Pentagon officials.

The Pentagon has about 118,000 such troops, former enlisted soldiers who served less than eight years on active duty or officers who did not resign their commission.

Members of the Individual Ready Reserve are distinct from regular Reserve troops because they do not perform any military service during the year, yet they remain eligible to be called to service.

The move reflects the limited number of troops available to Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld to fight the war on terrorism and the conflict in Iraq.

The troops would be chosen because of critical skills needed, such as Military Police, infantry or engineers, Pentagon officials said.

The last time a significant number of Individual Ready Reserve troops were called to duty was during the Persian Gulf War in 1991, Pentagon officials said.

About 2,000 of such troops already serve in some capacity in the Iraq operation, though many volunteered, officials said.

Speaking of the Army's troop strength this month, Lt. Gen. Frank Hagenbeck, deputy chief of staff for personnel, said, "We are stretched, but we have what we need."

Pentagon officials have echoed that view. They admit that the military is reaching deep into its resources but say that war planners have long had contingency plans for such a call-up when troops are really needed.

Doesn't seem so with the plan to add 20,000 + this. :cantbeli:

[MEGR]

Does the military have the right to do this? I'm not sure what the rules are. Shouldn't be based soley on the former soldier's decision?

[ArmedPacifist]

Does the military have the right to do this? I'm not sure what the rules are. Shouldn't be based soley on the former soldier's decision?

At least for the CF forces, it was in a document I signed upon enlisting, that if the queen or government needed me at any time they could put me back into service.

[Bombtrack]

One step closer to the draft..

[Bombtrack]

Does the military have the right to do this? I'm not sure what the rules are. Shouldn't be based soley on the former soldier's decision?

At least for the CF forces, it was in a document I signed upon enlisting, that if the queen or government needed me at any time they could put me back into service.

I was told it was for a period of 5 years after you are released.

[Scrim]

When you sign up, you sign up for eight years. You may do four years active duty, but you still have an obligation of four years in the IRR. Like it or not.
For example, you sign up in 2000 for 4 years active duty, look on your ID card, it doesnt expire untill 2008!

[kommando]

hmm sneaky...

[Midav]

Does the military have the right to do this? I'm not sure what the rules are. Shouldn't be based soley on the former soldier's decision?

After leaving the military, people are placed on inactive reserve for three years (believe that's the duration).

Not sure about higher ranking NCO retiree's, but officers are on a permanent call up if needed.

[Pandy]

The rules are basically that if you join the Military, and then get out with less then 8 years. You can be called back in, now if your in for your 20 years active, then get out, you don't fall into this box of hell... in my view.

Hell, I say take all the people and/or protesters who don't have jobs, and high-school drop-outs that didn't find any jobs out of high school be drafted into the US Military, we'll be the dumbist military but hey, there's enough smart NCO's to teach them along. lol.

[jizzmonkey]

yeah, there is a misconception about the whoe period of time you are part of the IAR

its total 8 years, if youve allready been in the army for eight years and then get out weather you retire or just get the **** out you dont fit the category, if you did a 3 year stint and then get out then you can be called up to active duty for 5 years after that date not to exceed 8 years.....
So the media saying retired old soldiers are getting activated is bull****.

not true.

BUUUUT what the army is doing is extending our retirments.......in my case

!11B for an e-6 went from 20 years to 23 years.

so I'm no longer half way there!!! assholes!

[ibstolidude]

yeah, there is a misconception about the whoe period of time you are part of the IAR
- IAR? you mean IRR?
Inactive Ready Reserve.

[Pandy]

Yea, to my understanding, it was setup during the Cold War, IRR would be called up just in case of WW3... So help rebuild the Country after nuclear war... if anyone lived.

[East]

Does the military have the right to do this? I'm not sure what the rules are. Shouldn't be based soley on the former soldier's decision?

At least for the CF forces, it was in a document I signed upon enlisting, that if the queen or government needed me at any time they could put me back into service.

:oops: I don't remember signing that...

[ibstolidude]

Does the military have the right to do this? I'm not sure what the rules are. Shouldn't be based soley on the former soldier's decision?
the story, as most, is misleading. You owe 8 years - depending on the contract many choose to serve in the IRR for a portion of those years, often 2 years. You would be aware of the possibility of recall unless you are retarded. I do not argue if it is right, wrong, smart, dumb, god or bad to recall them; I simply answer the "How?". Many when they retire choose to retire in a similiar fashion inorder to retain time in service and the ability to accumulate retirement points - I am less comfortable talking about it as I am not as familiar with the Retirement Reserve status, information pertaining to it needs to checked by other than I.

[jizzmonkey]

yeah, there is a misconception about the whoe period of time you are part of the IAR
- IAR? you mean IRR?
Inactive Ready Reserve.

My bad IRR,

As far as being retired.... If you spent 8 years on acvtive duty..you complete your IRR comitment, Most dont retire with less than 8 years active.. (except for guys getting medically retired not chaptered) so do the math. as far as reserves or NG...I'm not really sure what happens with them, I do know that depending on your MOS some cant retire until the age of 56.