Military calling out-of-uniform troops (IRR)

[Barrett808]

Military calling out-of-uniform troops
By REBECCA SANTANA, Associated Press Writer

CAMP ANACONDA, Iraq - Spc. Chris Carlson had been out of the U.S. Army for two years and was working at Costco in California when he received notice that he was being called back into service.

The 24-year-old is one of thousands of soldiers and Marines who have been deployed to Iraq under a policy that allows military leaders to recall troops who have left the service but still have time left on their contract.

"I thought it was crazy," said Carlson, who has found himself protecting convoys on Iraq's dangerous roads as part of a New Jersey National Guard unit. "Never in a million years did I think they would call me back."

Although troops are allowed to leave active duty after a few years of service, they generally still have time left on their contract with the military that is known as "inactive ready reserve" status, or IRR. During that time, they have to let their service know their current address, but they don't train, draw a paycheck or associate in any other way with the military.

But with active duty units already completing multiple tours in Iraq, the Pentagon has employed the rarely used tactic of calling people back from IRR status, a policy sometimes referred to as a "backdoor draft."

(more)

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060819/ap_on_re_mi_ea/iraq_back_in_uniform

[shanti]

1. i knew this was coming....

:(

[bluestateguy]

2. Oh Can-ada, ahem, cough....

little frog in my throat there.

[Kagemusha]

3. Why is "backdoor draft" in quotation marks?

And this out-of-uniform troops thing.

Someone went through a hell of a lot of trouble to sugar coat this.

[Solo_in_MD]

5. Not backdoor at all, they are still on contract

The real issue would be retraining upon activation. Most military skills are not practiced in civilian life. Also many are not in good enough physical condition.

[teknomanzer]

15. Agree not a back door draft...

When I signed up back in 1990 I knew I had an 8 year obligation. 4 years active duty with 4 years IRR. When I reached my End of Term of Service I was given a DD form 214 but did not get my certificate of discharge until 1998. I spent four years carefully watching the news to see what was happening in the world that could result in my being called up. It was a period of great nervousness. I was relieved when I finally received my certificate of Honorable Discharge.

During the first Gulf War my unit was involved with the training of the IRR called back into duty, these guys were not the least bit pleased with their turn of fate, but they knew full well just as I did that that possibility of being called back existed. No one can say they were not told about the 8 year obligation.

[Solo_in_MD]

19. How were their skills. The ones I knew were rusty and out of shape

[tabasco]

20. Retraining. What retraining?

I was called up last year. Received orders and was getting ready to go. Then they gave me the choice to resign. When I found out I had a choice, I investigated what they had planned for me. 39 days straight training at Fort Bragg and then straight to Civil Affairs Baghdad for OJT. I had been out for ten years. I resigned.

I told the story to a CWO who has been to Iraq a couple times and he said "it's all OJT over there." He is strongly anti-Iraq war as am I. Tells me it's more fucked up than anything he or I had ever seen. And we've both seen some fucked up shit.

[w4rma]

23. quotes are proper, I think. It's not an official term.

But it is used often informally.

[Kagemusha]

24. The original point is that it seemed argumentative.

Apparently people view the term as not arguably correct but manifestly false here.

Edit: So someone tell John Kerry.

[amandabeech]

4. Okay, I'll make the obligatory comment. It's getting drafty in here.

However, whichever party pushes a draft will get hammered in the next election. No one wants their kids to be forced to serve in one of the hot spots, Middle East or otherwise.

Those in power pretty much remember Vietnam. I know I do.

[Jim__]

6. I don't think the volunteer military can handle the obligations that have

been put upon it by bush. If that's true, then we either have to lower the level of obligations or institute a draft. I don't believe any case has been made that the current high level of obligations are necessary to our national security. Bush has a duty to make the case and institute the draft; or to lower the level of obligations that the military is under. Of course, I don't expect him to do either.

[leftchick]

7. well when you are losing a Brigade a month

I suppose this happens. :(

[onehandle]

8. Call up the Swift Boaters. Send them to Iraq and wish them luck. nt

[sce56]

9. Amen to that!

Let that 36% of the country that backs King George go serve under him!

[Barrett808]

10. But aren't the military services meeting their recruitment goals?

They keep saying so...

[YankeyMCC]

11. I'm IRR

and I actually just found in the mail a letter stating that they are considering removing me from the lists and gave me the option to tender my resignation before they just issued an honorable discharge.

I feel like Mr Carlson - if they call me then there's real trouble is what I always thought and said to people who asked.

[tabasco]

21. If you plan on resigning get your paperwork in NOW.

Before they change their minds.

I got orders last year, and then later given a choice to resign. I sent in my resignation and they screwed around for a long time before it was approved, and then I kept getting calls from deployment officers. The admin side of the house is more f'ed up than I've ever seen before.

[leftchick]

12. they were going to put me in jail if I don't show up

<snip>

Jason Mulligan, 28, of Ridgefield, Conn., left the army back in 2002 after two years in the infantry. He was working as a painting contractor while studying wildlife conservation when he received his letter last fall alerting him that he'd been mobilized.

The letter was followed up by another warning to Mulligan that if he didn't comply, the government would prosecute him to the fullest extent of the law.

"My family and my fiancee were telling me 'Don't' report. Don't show up,' said Mulligan, who also serves with a New Jersey National Guard unit as a gunner on a Humvee helping patrol the territory around Camp Anaconda, a base about 50 miles north of Baghdad. "And I thought, 'Well I got that nasty letter saying they were going to put me in jail if I don't show up.'"

[BeHereNow]

13. I hope MASSIVE numbers DO choose jail time...

It's the only way to stop the madness.

Last I heard, there were something like 40, 000 gone awol-
what are the neocons going to do?
Lock all of them up?
Where?

I REALLY hope the troops start taking a stand
against the insanity of what they are being
asked to do.

No more senseless deaths and destroyed lives!


BHN

[roody]

14. Absolutely!!

[IndianaGreen]

16. I am prepared to swear under oath that these ex-GIs are all gay

if that is what it takes to keep them from being recalled.

[HardWorkingDem]

17. Someone send them a dimebag,

lighter and bong...oops....Tommy Chong tried this and look what it got him.....9 mos in the Fed pen....

[eccles12]

18. I just have one question to ask of the Bush-neocon blind and brain-dead

supporters: "Have you had enough yet?"

[OneBlueSky]

22. they'll do anything they must to avoid a draft . . .

because they know that a draft will turn the nation against them in a very active and vociferous way . . . so they'll grab the Reserves, the National Guard, the IRR, even the Boy Scouts if necessary -- anything to keep the draft inactive . . .

but with Iran and possibly Syria on the horizon, and with their pool of talent running low, they may no choice -- and soon . . .

draft age men and women -- get your conscientious objector paperwork in order! . . .