43 Year Old Single Mom Called Back To Active Duty After 20 Years

Listen, MA'AM (I wanted to use a different word, but oh well!), once YOU yourself sign up, go through what we go through, NOT vicariously through your husband, we'll listen to your opinion with some validity. You're sick of whiny service members? You're damn LUCKY if that's the WORST you're sick of. I'm sick of being lied to about imminent threats and WMDs and every excuse since. I'm sick of IEDs, VBIEDs, EFPs, DAPS, Side-SAPIs, neck armor, groin armor, humvees so heavy we can't close or open the doors, falling in sewage-filled canals, burying comrades, ramp ceremonies, writing widows and grieving families, 120-130 degree heat, FOBBITs, the brass, do-nothing CSMs, chickenshit details, filling sandbags, war zone PT, piss bottles, health and welfare inspections, no women, no porn, occaisional mail, crappy FOBs, the iraqi army, the iraqi police, manpower shortages, 100% inventories, scape-goating, being stop-lossed, and worrying about being IRR recalled. I'm sorry, did I make your ears hurt? I know I forgot plenty, but the above is, how shall we say... enough to earn those fantastic military benefits provided by hardworking Americans such as yourself. Oh wait... in garrison, we pay taxes too! As far as being forced to sign on the dotted line? No, we're not a facist or conscript-oriented country. And that means you don't screw over those brave enough to volunteer in the first place when so many (99.4% of America) DON'T, just like YOURSELF! What did we volunteer for? None of your f-ing business! I'll tell you when YOU volunteer and we'll trade answers!

Just because she signed up back then does not mean she is in for life. the contract is 8 years! a contract is just a piece of paper, she is not even the same person that signed up back then.

I signed up in 1999 did my time in Germany, Hungry, & Iraq I have been out for 2 years and I don't believe in the reasons we are fighting. I wont fight in the war any more. these are evil people running the show and I think they all need to be removed from power. I believe in protecting our homeland and will fight for my country USA all the way but thats not what these wars are about not one bit. "It didn't fit into our plans either. But, OH WELL!"
yeah right OH Well thats all you say I am sure he is fighting proudly over there just like I did. You have to believe that when you are over there but when the fact is we were lied to in order to start the war and we are being lied to about everything about the war it is time to come home it is time to stop the blood shed it is time we take our country back from the bankers and stop fighting for them. We are people with souls not mindless slaves to do their biding.

signed
Forgotten Soldier no more

What you should do is get in touch with the Point of Contact (POC) on the activation letter you received and let them know you're currently collecting disability, the percentage of the disability and what the disability pertains to. You will be required to provide documentation supporting this (if its VA disability, contact your local VA office to provide you with necessary documentation). Yes, it is still possible for you to be activated if you are within your initial 8 year enlistment, even with a disability; however, depending on the disability and you being able to provide proof, there is a very good possibility that your activation will be rescinded.

Yeah. So, one day I was minding my own business and the mailman delivered one of those great "come back to the army so we can ruin your life" packets. I documented pretty much everything that happened here.
It was a hoot. Here is a piece of advice, don't show up unless you really want to! The day after I arrived, the army published an article stating that anyone who does not show up for the IRR recall will be put in a pile of folders, reviewed and given a favorable discharge. It depends on your previous discharge of course. Think about it and read some of the articles in my web page.

Otherwise, the whole recall was a bunch of sh*t. They are pulling hundreds and thousands of people that have not even thought about the army back to active duty for B.S. assignments. We can talk specifics later if you like. Email me...

We can chat about this mess of sh*t!

Quit your whinning. Shows ignorance of what the IRR, MSO, Reserve and how someone serves on each. Get your facts straight. Get educated.

As of 22 June 2004, the Army's Individual Ready Reserve (IRR) contained slightly more than 111,000 Soldiers. These trained Soldiers may be called upon to fill vacancies in Army Reserve units and may replace Soldiers in Active and Reserve Units. Part of the Army's Ready Reserve, the IRR involves individuals who have had training, served previously in the Active Component or the Selected Reserve (such as a member of an Army Reserve unit), and may have some period of Military Service Obligation remaining. Unlike new recruits, these are seasoned, experienced Soldiers who can contribute significantly to Army readiness. The IRR, as it exists, is mandated by Congress under Title 10 of the U.S. Code. In accordance with implementing instructions contained in Army Regulation 135-91, members of the IRR can be required to join an Army Reserve unit if they are statutorily obligated and have a skill needed by the Army.

Activation is when an Army Reserve Soldier is called to serve in the Army full time. Activation can put you in an Army job within the United States or you may be deployed to foreign soil. Once activated, Army Reserve Soldiers can only serve a maximum of two years active duty.

Presidential Reserve Callup Authority [PRCA] is a Provision of a public law (US Code, Title 10 (DOD), section 12304) that provides the President a means to activate, without a declaration of national emergency, not more than 200,000 members of the Selected Reserve and the Individual Ready Reserve (of whom not more than 30,000 may be members of the Individual Ready Reserve), for not more than 270 days to meet the support requirements of any operational mission. Members called under this provision may not be used for disaster relief or to suppress insurrection. This authority has particular utility when used in circumstances in which the escalatory national or international signals of partial or full mobilization would be undesirable. Forces available under this authority can provide a tailored, limited-scope, deterrent, or operational response, or may be used as a precursor to any subsequent mobilization.

Reservists from throughout the armed forces began registering their civilian places of employment for the first time with the Department of Defense 31 March 2004. Called the Civilian Employment Information program, the registration is the first mandatory disclosure by the Selected Reserve and Individual Ready Reserve of their civilian employers into a common database. Unlike previous military service efforts to voluntarily gather employer data, this new program is mandatory. Reservists and guardsmen who knowingly fail or refuse to provide their employment-related information, or provide false information, may be subject to administrative action or punishment.

In May 2004 the Army's Human Resources Command - St. Louis (HRC-STL), began identifying Individual Ready Reserve Soldiers with a statutory Military Service Obligation (MSO) remaining for possible assignment to an Army Reserve unit. These Soldiers may be assigned to position vacancy requirements within designated Reserve units based upon the needs of the Army.

Since early May 2004, the Army Reserve's Retention and Transition Division has been contacting Individual Ready Reserve (IRR) Soldiers with a remaining Mandatory Service Obligation (MSO) to solicit their voluntary transfer from the IRR to Army Reserve Troop Program Units (TPU). In conjunction with a screening of the IRR population by HRC-St. Louis, this effort was intended to match the skills of IRR Soldiers with units in their local areas, thereby enhancing the readiness of the Army Reserve.

This effort may have been presented as something beyond a purely voluntary endeavor. As a result, there may be some Soldiers who feel that they were misled or pressured into joining a Reserve unit, when, in fact, that was not the intention of this voluntary transition initiative. Soldiers who believe they were unduly pressured into transferring to an Army Reserve unit, or that facts were misrepresented in the process of such a transfer action, may seek redress through the U.S. Army Reserve Command Retention and Transition Office. Transfer orders determined to be the result of coercion or misrepresentation can be revoked, if such allegations are confirmed.

Although every effort will be made to meet personnel needs with volunteers, involuntary mobilization of IRR Soldiers can be executed with the approval of competent authority. The Army Reserve is an integral component of an Army serving our Nation at war. Those members of the IRR who still have a remaining contractual obligation may be called upon to serve, subject to the needs of the Army.

On 30 June 2004 the Army announced plans to order 5,600 Soldier in the Individual Ready Reserve to active duty for possible deployment with the next Operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom rotations. Those Soldiers called up will have 30 days from the date the orders were issued to take care of personal business before having to report to a mobilization site, officials said. The orders call for 18 months of active duty, but that could be extended for a total of 24 months if needed, they said. The IRR call-up does not impact retired Soldiers, contrary to several civilian media reports.

The main purpose of this IRR call-up is to fill personnel shortfalls in a number of Army Reserve and National Guard units that have been tagged to deploy overseas as part of the OIF 3 and OEF 6 rotations planned for late fall 2004. Many of the personnel shortfalls are for Soldiers already assigned to the deploying units who are not deployable due to medical, family or legal issues. The actual mobilization and deployment requirement is for about 4,400 Soldiers, but personnel officials expect to find some of the IRR Soldiers with similar medical, family and legal issues that may keep them from being deployable. While the specific jobs the called-up Soldiers will fill are varied, the heaviest requirements include truck drivers, mechanics, logistics personnel and administrative specialists.

This is not the first time the Army has used the IRR to fill its manpower needs. During the Gulf War, more than 20,000 IRR Soldiers were mobilized and deployed. Since the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, the Army has called up more than 2,500 IRR Soldiers -- the majority through IRR volunteers, though some have been involuntary call-ups. Historically, the Army needs to mobilize about 13 IRR Soldiers to get 10 deployable Soldiers. The called-up IRR Soldiers spend about 30 days at a mobilization installation, getting checks to see if they are qualified for deployment, getting individual weapons qualification, conducting Common Task Testing and receiving training in a number of warrior tasks that reflect the realities of today's operating environment, including how to recognize an improvised explosive devise and reacting to an ambush. Those who do not pass the readiness muster at the mobilization installation for reasons including anything from medical and legal reasons to physical challenges may be disqualified and sent home. Those who pass the muster will be sent on to military occupational specialty schools to get refresher training, normally lasting between two to four weeks. The final stop is joining the deploying unit at least 30 days before deployment for collective training as a unit.

On March 22, 2006, the Army announced that the Secretary of the Army had endorsed an integrated and systemic approach to reset and reinvigorate the Individual Ready Reserve (IRR). The Army’s strategy focuses on transforming the IRR into the Army’s leading ‘prior service talent bank’ through several programmed initiatives as it builds the future force.

The Army plan called for immediately developping an identity with increased esprit de corps for members of the IRR by creating a special category within the IRR for its ready and qualified IRR Soldiers. This special category was to be called the Individual Warrior (IW) Category. Soldiers in the IW Category would be required to maintain a higher state of readiness by participating in virtual musters, attending annual readiness processing and, through managed training opportunities, maintaining proficiency in their military occupational specialty. The IW Category would focus on elevating individual expectation management, proactive career management, unique training opportunities, and promote continuum of service towards a military retirement.