WASHINGTON (AP) "” 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 or Afghanistan, 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. 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.
If that is what it takes to secure this nations future then sign me up. If our nations leaders decide they need more soldiers than enlisted let's go. My grandpa signed after Pearl Harbor, my Dad went to Vietnam instead of being drafted. I want my children to leave free and Christian without fear of death and persecution. We are under attack from Hollywood to Iraq will you do what it takes?
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"I shot em down, one by one and left em on the rails. I use my guns whenever kindness fails." REK
I would sign up for the military, after I had taken a religious leave for a mission for 2 years. I feel that serving this great nation is everyone's duty.
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ANNOY A LIBERAL, work hard and be happy.
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. Several hundred of them have volunteered for active-duty service since the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks.
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.
The *bold* says it all...
As much as the chicken little's of the liberal world would LOVE to use fear to scare the uninformed into believing this garbage, those of us currently ON active duty are willing to slam dunk this bull will set the record straight. The same scare tactic of the draft was started before and during DS/DS, was started again when OEF kicked off, was started again when OIF kicked off... and all the while the big bad boogy man of the draft has yet to show up. It's also AMAZING that amid all the talk of the draft, the Air Force has to cut down on the number of folks, because we are over the mandated # of people!!! Sure looks like the draft is right around the corner to me.........
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.
This is not entirely true...but who can expect the retards in the press to get it right anyway?
The highlighed portion is where they get the IRR requirements screwed up. The way it really works is that everyone who enlists in the military for the first time commits to an 8 year term, not all of which has to be served actively, commencing from the day that one first takes the oath of enlistment (this time INCLUDES time spent in the delayed entry program (DEP) as well, as one swears in when the enter the DEP program). It doesn't matter how this 8 years is served, either active duty, drilling reserves, in the IRR, or a combination of two or more, but it must be served.
As an example...when I enlisted in the Corps I swore in in November of 1995 and entered the DEP, beginning my 8 year commitment to serve. My active duty enlistment was for a four year term, which began on March 5th, 1996 and ended March 4th, 2000, at which point I'd completed 4 years and roughly 5 months of my 8 year commitment. When I was honorably discharged in March of 2000 I still had 3 years, 7 months of service left, which I spent in the IRR. If I had reenlisted in active duty my full 8 year minimum would have been met during the second enlistment, same goes if I'd chosen to enlist in the Marine Corps Reserve. My 8 years expired in November of 2003, and I now no longer have ANY COMMITMENT WHATSOEVER to the military. They can't call me back, and they can't draft me either. I've fullfilled my commitment in full.
Oh, one more thing. While recalling the IRR isn't too common for the Army, primarily because they have so many people both active and reserve that they seldom need too, it is nothing new for the Marine Corps to recall IRR Marines in time of need. One of my buddies from my unit, who got out about 6 months after me, got recalled just after 9/11 and wound up serving in Iraq during the invasion. He said a couple other guys got recalled as well, but the most common practice is simply extend those already on active duty rather than go to the trouble of recalling IRR Marines.
There is nothing wrong with the activation of the IRR, and it comes as no surprise to those who haven't completed their eight years. This is not a draft. Until Congress gets its act together and allocates money to increase our troop strength, this is the only way to go.
I do believe that when i first enlisted in 1983 it was six years. when i got out in 1990 i was told i was done and i need not register for the draft or be on IRR.
Could this be the beginning of the draft?
