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wwTwfha.caeeebrBootoeekca.hcncoemow/nsT.ecaommM/maarrcchharb October 30, 2015 5
Bringing the Individual Ready Reserve into the ‘total force’
by Andrew Tilghman The push comes at a time when the military is 86$UP\SKRWR6JWVW&ODVV2VYDOGR6DQFKH]
VWDIIZULWHU$LU)RUFH7LPHV shrinking, defense budgets remain tight and the Penta-
gon is looking for ways to modernize the all-volunteer and are often dubbed “weekend warriors.”
While most military recruits sign up for active or force and tap new sources of talent.
Reserve component duty for three or four years, their But during severe personnel shortages, the IRR is
enlistment contracts actually obligate them to a total The IRR is “a pool of pre-trained, high-quality man-
service agreement of eight years. power that the American military has invested a lot of tapped, too. During the peak years of the wars in Iraq
money in — and they are just sitting there,” Arnold
Troops who choose to hang up their uniforms short Punaro, chairman of the Reserve Forces Policy Board, and Afghanistan, about 30,000 soldiers and Marines
of eight years of service transition into the Individual said in an interview. “If we are looking at creating
Ready Reserve for the remainder of that commitment greater flexibility and maximizing the use of all talent, from the IRR were mobilized for deployments. The
and serve as an emergency backup “force of last re- the IRR could play a very important role.”
sort.” The vast majority of IRR members are never most common occupational fields for which they were
called back to duty. Punaro and the RFPB recently sent Defense Secre-
tary Ash Carter a letter urging large-scale changes to recalled were the combat arms, military police, vehicle
But all that could change if Reserve advocates gain the IRR that could include:
traction on a new plan to significantly overhaul the way operators, mechanics and engineers.
the IRR is managed, with a goal of making the histori- s)MPROVING
