[politicalwit]

if you want the benifits of being a reserve, uh, I guess then that is what you are..reserves in reserve.

There are no benefits being on IRR status. Simply put, the DOD can essentially say.."Dude, you're a soldier again."

What the use of IRR tells me is that the military is undermanned and can't recruit sufficient new and qualified personal.

[benjamin032]

Well you read the situation wrong then. We meet and exceed recruiting and retention goals most months. The benefit to IRR is that you can finish your initial 8 year commitment in some capacity other than active. Trust me, when a Soldier gets honorably discharged there a plenty of benefits that go along with it. We have called IIR guys back, and retired for that matter, numerous times before. The only reason this is news is because it makes the legal and just War on Terror look bad.

[Operation_Shock_N_Awe]

It has nothing to do with not being able to find qualified people. The Marines and the Army have been making their recruiting goals..... but, someone needs to be in charge. So, a Sgt that is still on IRR and has the EXPERIENCE could (and should if needed) be called back to active duty to supervise, train, mentor, and LEAD the junior personnel that are enlisting.

When you sign... you usually sign a 4x4, 6x2, or some variation that equals “x” number of years on active duty and and the remainder on IRR... for a grand total of 8 years. From the time you first sign the papers (yes, even while waiting to go to boot camp) the clock starts ticking.

And YES.... there ARE benifits on IRR. VA loans, the GI Bill for school etc etc. When you sign for the benifits you sign for IRR. If you can’t do the active service or handle the following IRR, then don’t enlist at all. If you re-up and do 8 on actvie duty.... guess what? You don’t owe IRR.

I am so sick of people that talk about only signing for benifits, or making benifits such a huge issue. They are incentives and perks, not the only reason to join. If we truly signed to go to college the gummin’t would issue you a letterman sweater and NOT an M-16. The spoiled punk should shut up, sack up and do his damn time like he signed. Its all there in black and white. The key words are “didn’t think” he’d be re-called. Don’t think just do it.

And, its not “Dude you’re a soldier again.” Its dude, you’re still a soldier, because this is what you signed for.” That’s why you don’t get your actual certificate of discharge (not the DD-214) until after your FULL time is up.

And for those quick to knee jerk my remarks... I got the Purple Heart on my second trip to Iraq.... and went back two more times..... I don’t know I heard the words “Honor, Courage, and Commitment” from somewhere; maybe its just the thing to do while my country is at war and because I signed my name and gave my word.

[hinckley buzzard]

What the use of IRR tells me is that the military is undermanned and can't recruit sufficient new and qualified personal.

The guy is an experienced sargeant. You don't "recruit" NCO's, very possibly in a critical MOS.