Military DUers, current and former: What's the scoop with the IRR?

[Mayberry Machiavelli]

Inactive Ready Reserve, that is. And how does it apply to each of us?

I left active duty over 3 years ago. At that time I specifically resigned my officer's commision also, and declined to enter the reserves.

Since I was regular Navy (USN as opposed to USNR) I was under the understanding that for some time I would be subject to callup under "national emergency" etc. despite resigning my commision. But now over 3 years have passed.

Now I'm reading these articles about people being contacted by the Army 8 years and longer after getting out of the military.

My understanding was that the IRR was an actual program, like the regular reserves, that one participated in. I know 2 people in my area who are in this, and it involves some kind of correspondence course. They don't get paid but make progress towards reserve retirement benefits, and are subject to callup.

So what is the deal? Is everyone who gets out of the military automatically considered "IRR" for some period of time? Is the time period definite or arbitrary? Different for officers versus enlisted? Does the DOD have any weblinks stating the rules about this in any clear way?

[noamnety]

1. I was enlisted

I had a 4 year service commitment, but an 8 year obligation.

I served 2 years, got out for pregnancy. Got put in the IRR, and after two more years, got called up for reserves (1 weekend a month, not fulltime), and had to stay for drills til the 8 year obligation was over.

My understanding was that officers could be called up sort of forever, but not enlisted. Now I'm wondering about that though, it was all hearsay to me.

[nytemare]

3. I believe with Officers

They have to actually resign their commission, but I am not too sure of that.

[Jack_DeLeon]

12. This is something that I heard...

there are two types of comissioned officers.

Reserve and Comissioned, I'm not exactly sure how the break down is.

Linguisticly I would think that maybe reserve officers are those that go through ROTC, and commissioned probably via the Academies. However I was told that this isnt the case.

Anyways reserve officers automatically resign thier comission when they leave the military.

While commissioned officers keep thier commission until they resign it.

So commissioned officers could always be called up unless they resign thier commission.

I think this was the deal with one of the recent lawsuits by an officer who was out of the military for a while. He hadnt resigned his commission, and they called him up.

[nytemare]

2. When I signed up

and I don't think it has changed, I enlisted for 8 years of total service. I spent 4 active, and 4 in the IRR, which really didn't require much on my part. They would send me information about my unit, etc, but I never had to respond to anything. My term of service ended in Oct, 98, at which time I got an actual Honorable Discharge certificate. I am not sure about folks getting called up 8 years after they get out, unless somewhere in their active duty term they re-enlisted and somehow extended their IRR service. Other than that, I am not sure how they would be recalled. :shrug:

[indianablue]

4. Enlisted IRR

I was enlisted in the Navy for six years.

I had two years left on IRR.

If i had done four years active instead of 6, I would have had to report once a year just to update my address and health status. I think they stop doing ti after the first two years cause i never had to do it but a marine friend of mine had too he was only in for 4 active.

As far as officer I think you are pretty safe.

(1) Your not a Army/Marine officer
(2) You have been out for three years
(3) You resigned commission.

I think those three things will most likely keep you off the radar screen.

[billyoc]

5. You specifically resigned your commission

I think that's the only way out for officers. AFAIK, you can't be recalled.

[truthseeker1]

7. Really? You have to actually resign your commission?

What does that mean exactly? That you're giving up the right to re-enter as an officer?

My husband was an AF officer for 7 years and retired in '99. Thought he was in the clear as far as the IRR, but he just said he doesn't think he ever resigned his commission. Crap, oh crap.....

[billyoc]

9. I'm not sure about this.

This is what I've heard from one of the lawsuits that have been filed against the military for calling people back up.

[CaptainCorc]

6. Have you received your discharge?

I was an enlisted man and it was 30 years ago, but back then at least once you had satisfied your total obligation (it was 6 years back then--i spent 4 on active duty and 2 on inactive reserve) you received your discharge and your obligation was finished.

I did a quick search and didn't come up with anything definitive (sorry, no help there), but if you have been discharged, I think you're in the clear.

I've heard that about a third of the IRRs they've tried to activate didn't bother to show up, which I thought was rather cool of them.

[Mayberry Machiavelli]

11. Yes, I received a Hon Discharge, DD-214. 15 yrs. total active duty.

[TyObe]

16. IRR

It's more likely that 1/3 of the phone numbers they called had been long since disconnected. People tend to relocate when they get out of the military.

Ty

[Stinky The Clown]

8. I'm talking ancient history here

I was Navy enlisted, time both on active duty and in the reserves. 1967 - 1975. I didn't have to serve in the reserves when I got, but I chose to. I served the balance of my (total) 8 year obligation on active reserve. For my unit it was one night a week and two weeks every summer.

I got my orders off active duty before I went to the reserves, but I didn't get my DD214 until the end of the total 8 years (although all my benefits staretd the day I left active duty - GI Bill stuff).

The rules then were a total of 8 years obligation. Some would have been on active, some in the active reserve, and some on inactive reserve. At the end of the 8 years, no matter what path you followed, that was it. You were out and under no further obligation.

AFAIK this applied to all services and National Guard, and regular or reserve initial enlistment. Not sure about officers, but I **think** it was essentially the same.

Also not sure what it is now, but I would expect it is similar.

[caligirl]

10. IRR and other obligations

OK I'm not Caligirl, I'm her ex -Marine husband. Yes IRR is something you have to join. But, the contract you signed to be a regular officer was an agreemaent to serve "at the pleasure of the President". Essentially, IRR or not, anyone who ever accepted a commision is always subject to recall. Even us retired guys. I would think that exemptions and excusals are common, so far about a third of the IRR has evaded their orders to active duty.

[Mayberry Machiavelli]

13. So no one with any links to hard data about this yet?

[CaptainCorc]

14. I can't find any.....

but i found this

http://www.usndemvet.com/blog/archives/001885.html

and the following:

"And hey, I think that if you're a fellow Officer, it's a pretty safe bet that you're a possible player...remember our Geneva Convention Cards (oooops Military ID's) said expiration: Indefinite. Unless you specifically resigned your commission, I think this whole thing could be problemmatic...but that's just my take on it, I'm probably wrong."

[bettys boy]

15. The Army's IRR

http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/agency/army/usar-irr.htm

[TyObe]

17. It's basically nothing more than a phone list

I had a 4 year active USN obligation and 4 years IRR after that. No action required after submitting your letter of resignation.

Once you roll off the IRR, you technically could still be called up, but they don't have a lot of use for someone who's aging and who has been out of qual for a long time...

Ty