Colonel Debunks Individual Ready Reserve Mobilization Myths
I’ve been trying to debunk the idiots from IVAW on the IRR myths for some time. Additionally, I’m extremely angry that lawmakers are pushing hard to get legislation through that gives $500 per month so Soldiers on “stop-loss” or called up from IRR beyond their initial active duty obligation. The fact is that if Soldiers are still serving within their 8-year CONTRACTUAL obligation for military service that they VOLUNTARILY signed into, they aren’t entitled to any extra money!! At least, they shouldn’t be. The anti-war goons in this country want you to believe that the Army is abusing the “stop-loss” policy to suit its needs and this is something unprecedented. This couldn’t be further from the truth.
Though they may serve only two to four years on active duty, soldiers who enlist in the Army takes on an eight-year commitment. When they leave active duty, they can serve the remainder of their obligation in the National Guard or Army Reserve. The Individual Ready Reserve is one of several Army Reserve categories in which they can serve.
IRR members must meet minimal annual requirements — such as keeping personal contact information current, attending musters, updating readiness screening questionnaires and responding to official correspondence – and are subject to being mobilized, or called back to active duty.Col. Wanda Good, commander of the St. Louis branch of the U.S. Army Human Resources Command, discussed the process for mobilizing soldiers under the IRR program during a teleconference with bloggers and online journalists yesterday.
“Their knowledge and skill make them an invaluable asset to our nation, and we’re tremendously proud of our IRR soldiers and their contribution to the total Army,” she said.
“IRR soldiers have been making a contribution for a long time,” the colonel said. “Beginning with the Berlin crisis in 1961, we had 38,827 IRR soldiers mobilized by the Army, and this was the largest mobilization of the IRR to date.”
Good added that in the late 1960s during the Vietnam era, 1,692 IRR soldiers were called up into 42 mobilized reserve units. During the Gulf War in the ealy 1990s, 20,277 IRR soldiers were mobilized, and 14,470 of them were deployed.
“This is not the first time we’ve tapped the expertise of the IRR soldiers,” Good noted.
Good said a common myth surrounding the IRR today is the impression that a massive mobilization is under way.
“There are 65,000 IRR soldiers. Since 9/11, seven years ago, we’ve published about 20,000 mobilization orders. That’s about 31 percent of the IRR. Slightly less than 5,000 are mobilized today, and that’s about 7 percent of the current IRR population,” she said.
Another myth, Good said, is the belief that vast numbers of IRR soldiers are failing to report to mobilization stations as ordered.
“We’ve had 779 cases of IRR soldiers failing to report as ordered to their mobilization stations,” she said. “We’ve discharged 354 of them for failure to report, and we have 425 cases still under investigation. So, if you calculate those numbers, that’s 779 out of 20,000, soldiers. That’s only 4 percent.”
Good said another myth centers around the belief that the Army doesn’t take care of IRR soldiers after they return from Iraq or Afghanistan.
“Actually, the Army and the [Veterans Affairs Department] have a wide variety of programs in place to support all soldiers,” she said. “That is another reason why we have musters on an annual basis. We want to call back our soldiers and make sure they are filling out their post-deployment health reassessments.”
The assessments are important, the colonel said. “Last year … we found three soldiers who were suicidal, one of whom got directly into the VA and [received] help immediately,” she noted. “We do try very hard to take care of our soldiers, and the musters [are] the best way so far that we can actually touch these soldiers and give them the medical assistance they need.”
Since the Sept. 11 terror attacks, about 20,000 IRR soldiers have been mobilized for the global war on terror. Good noted that 2,218 Retired Reserve soldiers have volunteered to return to active duty; 384 of them have served in Iraq, and 122 of them have served in Afghanistan.
IRR Officer
November 8th, 2008 at 5:27 pmThis is not entirely true. The Army has mobilized many soldiers from the IRR that had less than a year left on their 8 year mandatory service obligation. By doing this the soldiers were kept beyond ther 8 year contract and their was little they could do about it. I know because I was mobilized from the IRR and I deployed with many soldiers in this situation.
Ben
December 17th, 2008 at 8:16 amI am one of those soldiers that would be getting the extra 500 dollars and I believe it is a good idea. I was deployed twice with a one year break inbetween and I was in the Guard. Last I checked the Guard should not be deploying more or the same as AD. I still walk around post where I work now for the DoD and see Senior NCOs and Officers without a combat patchs. I was out of the Guard 60 days before I got the call to come back to the armory becuase we were going to Iraq. I then deployed for 12 months and I still have about 4 months left in the IRR. Also, take note that in the guard you can not be promoted your last year in and you can not be promoted while on stop loss. I went my last two years not being able to make rank and missing out on my civilian job that paid more.
Deployed IRR Officer
December 24th, 2008 at 2:59 amIt’s very interesting to read this article in regards to the IRR soldiers who actually DO show up for duty. I am an officer who answered the call to return to duty (received my orders 2 days before X-MAS thank you very much) with 30 days notice, but I signed my name on the dotted line and have an obligation to my country. Never mind that I just closed on my first home 13 days prior to receiving orders and was newly engaged when I deployed. Hence to say it was not a Merry Christmas last year.
Interesting enough, as I reported for duty at IRR Mobilization, 168 soldiers that were expected to show up for duty, only about 60 actually arrived. Sounds a lot more like 62% of the soldier DID NOT show up for duty. NOT 4%, and out of those 60 or so soldiers that showed up, a good 10-15 soldiers were held for medical issues and would be discharged or held in the IRR for a call up at a later date. We also learned that the numbers from the class scheduled to show up the week before was even worse.
I am now serving in Iraq alongside 13 respected IRR Soldiers and Officers who responded to the call. However, we were ALL re-branched / re-trained to perform duties in a branch other than that we are considered professionals in and originally trained in. Go figure?
I am curious? What is happening to all those soldiers that did not show up? Because, I cannot for the life of me, find anything talking about discharges, especially less than honorable discharges as of lately. Could this be because it’s an election year?
This is very irritating for those like me who answered the call, and see that NO ramifications are being emplaced on those who chose NOT to answer the call to duty. If I would have know that, I may have stayed home as well, enjoyed my new house, my new wife, and not miss out on any promotions that I would have received in my place of employment if I had been there this past year. I figured that I lost out on a $20K promotion. Now I have to return and make up for the lost time in my place of business, and basically relearn everything, due to the brain dump that has occurred with this additional deployment. That being of course, if my job is still there when I return?
Regards,
U.S. Army Captain
Baghdad, Iraq
irr 11B soldier SPC
January 1st, 2009 at 4:42 pmjoined at 17(delayed entry while in HS counts as 1 year IRR) for 2 on 6 IRR in 1998, got out in 2000 and did a try 1 in the national guard, in 2004.(1 year in the guard) never was contacted for a muster till 2007 when i thought my obligation was up and they told me I was extended on my IRR time when i did the try one for 6 more years and it wouldnt be up till 2010,12 years after enlisting my first time. On top of that i was told to muster that next week. I went basicaly they had me log on line update some info and then 2 weeks later i get orders for iraq dated 4 days after updating my info on line. I had been out of the army so long I have not fired a weapon since 2000 8 years ago. as an 11b i was attached to a chemical company to do guard duty at a compound in iraq for 12 months . at 17 when i signed up i wouldnt know months before my 29th birthday 1 house 2 kids and a wife later i would be called to fill an obligation that i made 10 years ago in hs
irr 11B soldier SPC
January 1st, 2009 at 4:44 pmcontacted in 2008 not 2007
Disgruntled 11B
January 19th, 2009 at 4:01 pmI as well have less than a year on my contracted time and if everything plays out like the Army says, I’ll be extended over my “obligation”. The thing that burns me the most is that the military is just wasting our time. I’ve been to both fronts of the war in OIF 1 and OEF 6, and coming from this grunts perspective, our own government is not letting us do what we have to defeat radical Islam anyway. We would go out on these long range patrols in Afghan, engage these scumbags from the Taliban, and then just pull out a week later. We don’t hold ground or attempt in any capacity to really go out and put an end to terrorism. I can recall not even getting resupplied or getting CAS when we needed it there in the mountains of Zabul Province. I’ll go fight and kill whatever enemy that poses a threat but don’t put us on a leash. They’re doing to us what they did to our troops in Vietnam by wanting us to wage a war by limited means. I didn’t sign up to hand out humanitarian aid, build roads and schools, or give candy to a group of people that want us wiped off the face of the earth. I’ll go back in the Army when they decide they want to win instead of acting like the peace corps.
Called up
February 1st, 2009 at 11:46 amI too received orders to be recalled to active duty. I understand fully that I signed an eight year “contract” with the United States Army, but that obligation is up only two short months after I’m scheduled to report. The fact that the Army can ignore it’s end of the contract, but a soldier can’t ignore there’s is unconscionable and adhesive..and quite frankly, it should be against the law. I understand that in times of war, the President, as commander-in-chief, has near limitless power in his dealing with the military, but I still think that the IRR should try and target individuals who have time left on their obligations to fulfill further requirements to the Army. Also, in terms of people NOT SHOWING UP. It is EVERY SOLDIER’S RIGHT to be able to request a delay or exemption. Once a case is even opened for exemption, that soldier’s original orders are put on administrative hold which is why they don’t report as scheduled. SO, sorry if you were unaware of your rights to try and request an exemption, but don’t think that the numbers of individuals who show up for duty on an assigned date properly convey the actual numbers who are disregarding their duties.
Reese
February 4th, 2009 at 4:24 pmI Just Got my orders two days ago. I signed up in 2004 got out 07. I’m hearing all this stuff that you don’t have to show up because they can not do anything to you because technically you are under civilian laws of some sort. I don’t mind I guess going but Im just afraid of how long I am going to be gone. I am suppose to show up March 8th. I am just curious of how long of training will I receive before I go over to the box. Or how long I mean the mobilization process takes. If anyone could give me some information if they got recalled of how long they were gone I am just curious that’s all because I know how the army can screw you over. I also seen that the max they can keep you is up to two years! But anyways check out what this Marine Has to say about him being recalled http://www.couragetoresist.org/x/content/view/651/1/
Jesse
February 16th, 2009 at 6:43 pmTo U.S. Army Captain in Baghdad:
You should have just stayed home. I would have.
From,
Former Army Captain
irr 11B soldier SPC
February 19th, 2009 at 1:42 ammy train up was for 3 months … your probably going with a national guard unit. so you will only be in country for 9 months. and the guys that didnt show up got awol orders in the mail . i know because some guys missed there flight and showed up late, there wifes called to let them know they shipped the awol orders…. all the guys im here with did 3 years… just go the money is great and im happy to serve now … after the fact i come home in april
SGT John Doe
April 18th, 2009 at 11:11 pmGreetings,
The Army has clearly violated the spirit of the IRR; use only in case of national emergency or extraordinary circumstances. Currently, the Army has attempted to make the IRR a Plan A for manning overseas assignments. Instead of recruiting 18 year old able bodied Americans who would be interested in serving, the Army is focused on “recruiting” 1-3 time OIF/OEF veterans against their will, preferably with bad knees and other ailments. IRR Soldiers should expect to receive 3-6 phone calls from Army “recruiters” each week. It is very important that discharged Combat Veterans understand what the Army has to offer with respect to training and schools. At least the Marine Corps appreciates the idea of “involuntary Recall.” There is no amount of service which is actually valued, and as such, there is no limit to the amount of times the Government is prepared to send you to Iraq/Afghanistan. I suspect that this mentality is a legacy of the Bush Era, as was Stop-Loss which is being done away with. Perhaps once Obama’s team really takes control of Defense these policies will change. Until then.
IRR Soldier
angry sgt
October 25th, 2009 at 2:11 pmFirst of all I am not against the war on either front. I am, however disgrunteled. The army has screwed me over and over again. I should of filed a law suit for failure to give medical aid, but I’m so frustrated and tired I just want to be done with it. I don’t want anything, not even benefits.
Having seen the army ignore it’s own obligations and bend the rules to suit its self, I really don’t feel obligated to report. Because of the things I’ve seen and heard in the last five years of active duty I think the army has no honor. They do not look out for their soldiers but for themselves, they look out for their PR. Perhaps I just had a bad experiance, maybe things were great for everyone else but I could write a book on how many lies I’ve been fed. Please just give me the Other than Honorable Discharge and I’ll go away quietly.