Chapter 6, Section II, of AR 140-10, states that a soldier can move from retired reserve to ready reserve. They can convert to a TPU or IMA unit or to an IRR.
This transfer must be voluntary. However, during times of emergency or mass mobilization, soldiers in the Retired Reserve are subject to mobilization. It can be mobilized from the retired reserve, or it can be transferred to a TPU, IMA, or IRR and mobilized from there.
during other times; However, retired reservists may, if eligible, volunteer to return to the ready reserve.
qualifications:
Retired reservists wishing to transfer to the IRR must be eligible for the IRR, and must be eligible for deployment. One of the documents a soldier needs is a medical examination record. This examination must be reviewed by an Army surgeon. The medical examination and review must take place within one year.
Registered employees must also be eligible for immediate re-enrolment. These requirements are listed in AR 140-111. A soldier desiring this type of transfer must be ready for immediate re-enlistment with simultaneous transfer to the IRR. If a Soldier requests a transfer to TPU or IMA, it will be instant re-enrollment with simultaneous transfer to TPU or IMA.
Soldiers must meet the body fat requirements listed in AR 600-9. Ideally, Soldiers in the Retired Reserve must maintain their physical fitness and be prepared to pass the Army’s physical fitness test. This isn’t always practical, and not every gray area retiree does. Those wishing or considering packing or transferring back to the Ready Reserve should consider staying within body fat standards in addition to being physically able to pass the APFT.
Retired salary recipients are generally not allowed to transfer to the ready reserve. An exception is listed below.
If a soldier is involuntarily removed from the ready reserve, because of an action taken by the Retention or Promotion Board, or because of a law or regulation, that soldier is not eligible to return to the ready reserve.
Not eligible for transfer:
Soldiers in retired reserve for the following reasons will not be able to apply for transfer to ready reserve:
* A review board, promotion board, or other board removed the Soldier from the Ready Reserve category to which the Soldier is attempting to return.
* The law requires a soldier to be removed from the ready reserve.
* If a Soldier is to successfully transfer to the ready reserve, and that Soldier is automatically required to be removed from the ready reserve as required by law or regulation, then that Soldier cannot move back into the ready reserve.
* Soldier receives retired pay, except as noted in Section 6-5, AR 140-10.
Application process:
A retired soldier is considered to be in the Army Reserve. As such, Soldiers can go to the nearest Career Counselor for assistance in starting the transfer process.
As stated above, you need to have a medical evaluation that has been reviewed by an Army surgeon within the last year. You should also create a memo. In this note, you should indicate the following:
* You are requesting a conversion from Retired Reserve to IRR.
* The justification you used in the memorandum you included in your request for transfer to the retired reserve.
* Whether or not you receive disability compensation. If you receive disability compensation, how much do you get each month.
* Your willingness to serve in the IRR, and be qualified and available for posting if required.
If you transfer to retired reserve for reasons beyond your being eligible for paid retirement at age 60, and your new contract would have brought you to the mandatory removal date before you qualify for paid retirement, you must also include the following statement:
*You understand that you are subject to mandatory removal before you can complete 20 years of qualifying service. This statement can be found, verbatim, in Paragraph 6-5, AR 140-10.
If your IRR Transfer Request is approved, you will get Transfer Orders converting you from Retired Reserve to IRR. If you are recruited, these applications will require you to immediately re-register the day following the effective date of the application.
advice:
Contact your nearest career advisor for details on this process, and see the relevant sections of the references below.
References:
AR 140-10, U.S. Army Reserve Missions, Attachments, Details, and Transfers.
AR 140-111, U.S. Army Reserve Recruitment Program.
AR 600-9, Army Corps Composition Program.