A friend of a friend, who is I believe an inactive Marine, has apparently received a letter that instructs him to call a certain number and report to Kansas City or somewhere to be screened for eligibility for recall, or something. The gist of it is that he’s being considered for a recall to active duty, I think. I’ve never served, so it’s got me thinking – what do they do about the people who don’t show up? I imagine that somebody who’s already served on active duty and is now a reserve would probably have some reservations about heading back. And I’m sure that I’ve read a bunch of articles about people who have resisted being recalled or stop-lossed or whatever. So what does the military do to enforce its recall policies? What’s the worst that could happen if somebody refused to report. How often does it happen? Do people just say, screw it, discharge me – I’m not going back?
The whole thing kind of fascinates me. Could anybody point me to anything so I could learn more about it?
When you sign up, you generally sign up for 8 years of service, I believe. Many guys do 2 or 4 years active duty, with the rest in the “reserves”.
When you get out, you’re a civilian, but you’re in what’s called the “Individual Ready Reserve”, which means that they can call you up in that period of time and you have to go, because you’re still obligated for the remainder of that 8 years.
I distinctly remember my dad having his Air Force uniform hung up neatly in the closet until I was about 5, and asking him why he still had it, and he explained that he was technically still in the AF and had to keep his uniform ready just in case.
bump’s got it. Basically, no matter how long you sign up for, be it 3, 4 or 6 (I think those are the current options), you’re potentially on the hook for 8. Traditionally this wasn’t a big deal, it is today though.
Well, you’re in the IRR until you’ve met you’re 8-year committment, but you’re not totally off the hook. A friend of mine’s dad who is retired military and in his 70’s got the “just in case” letter asking him to update his info.
I used to live across the street from an officer who got called back in after he’d served over 8 years. It can happen.
Just for the record, even though I was a stupid, little 17-year-old when I signed up, it was painfully obvious even then that the total commitment was 8 years. There’s no deceit, confusion, obfuscation, or anything else going on.
Being that I started in the reserves and then went active duty for five years, I only had a fews months IRR commitment upon separation.
We were under no obligation to preserve equipment and uniforms, though. I still have my BDU’s and dress greens (that don’t fit), but mostly for the sake of nostalgia.
Other than officers, my understanding is that any recall after the contractual commitment (8 or more years) is voluntary, but I’ve heard they’re offering lots of reenlistment bonuses to in-demand skills and attempting to snow some people by convincing them it’s not their choice with threatening letters and such.
I got a letter from the AF Personnel Command asking nicely, I told them no thanks - my 8 years was up in Sept 1999 and I had no desire to go back in as they wouldn’t be able to pay me anything close to my civilian wage unless they made me a general
To answer the OP’s question - people who don’t show up can be potentially arrested. If the local police isn’t too busy, that is, which is what usually happens - the military asks the locals to bring the person in, the local police say they’re too busy and nothing happens. I would think the normal thing is loss of any benefits (GI Bill, etc…) and a black mark in their record but I can’t see the military spending lots of time and money tracking down out-of-shape IRR folks who didn’t show to a physical.
Exactly. If they are paying you, they can use you. And although this(stop loss, involuntary call up etc) is being used more than it ever has because of the length and circumstances of this current conflict, none of these policies originated with the current administration. I was aware of my commitments and when they could call me back when I joined up in 1989.
IIRC, recruiters have to explain, by law, what the contract you’re signing up for actually says. Nobody I’ve heard of who joined the military was surprised by this, although many were surprised it actually happened.
I “retired” after 23 years, but wasn’t really off the hook until my 30th year had come and gone. Then I got a letter saying I was being moved to the inactive rolls. But they’d have played hell getting me to put a uniform on again.
Well, that’s the part I’m thinking about Chefguy. It seems like no matter what the contract says, there’s a general sense that even when you’re still “on the hook,” there’s a real resistance to being recalled. So what really happens if you’ve done your active duty, you get a recall letter, and you just don’t want to go back? Can you just ask for a discharge? Would you get thrown in jail?
If they have completed their initial obligation and their resignation is accepted. Of course, once they resign there’s no coming back, so it’s not a spur of the moment thing, it’s often planned out for a while.
If they haven’t complete their initial obligation, their resignation may be accepted, but here’s the kicker: they can then be sent anyway as an enlisted man. So not only do you lose your status, but you go anyway. Yeah, not too many people go that route.
Heh. My best friend’s dad was a Marine pilot (helicopters) in the 60’s & 70’s- did his 20, retired as a major, I think. He had been out forever (at least since 1980) when he got “the letter” right around Gulf I. :eek: He had to explain to them that he would be an active danger to anyone in his aircraft if he took it up after all these years. He even asked the guy, “Does it say on that folder how old I am?!?”
He didn’t go, but I suppose they could have had him training pilots…
EJsGirl, I believe that’s actually the spirit behind the law. The military has a boatload of retired experience they can draw from to teach; in a crunch, that allows it to send its instructors forward and replace them with recalls.
I don’t claim to be an expert but most of the retired recalls that I have heard of are doctors. There is always a shortage of doctors. And if you attained a field grade rank it can be assumed that you could fill a staff position somewhere.
