# Going active-Choice of assignment?



## BravoOne (Jan 31, 2009)

Wondering how it works if a reservist wanted to go on active duty (not a 180 or 365 day ADOS) at a specific installation and how long would the orders typically be. 

I know that their are short tours where the Reservist still has to make MUTAs and do AT while they are working at the AD gig for a half year/year,etc... but I am wondering if those tours can be longer or do you have to leave the Reserves and put in a packet to go active duty. From what I can see AGR have administrative duties or Recruiting and Im not interested in that for three years lol.

I read somewhere online that a Reservist would call the AD Branch manager about where they want to be and what slots might be available and then put in a packet if their Chain would release them.

I would like a little more background info to help me in some decision making I need to address in the near future. I have two Tentative offers one for a GS-5 and another for a GS-7 position. "The call" has been slow in coming and I am figuring that with BAH and Base pay I would make a good bit more on active duty and have more job satisfaction.


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## Diamondback 2/2 (Feb 2, 2009)

There are a lot of AD missions out there for reserve and NG soldiers, most of these missions are direct support to GWOT and are funded with GWOT money. The big mission that most are trying to get on or stay on, is the Operation Warrior Trainer (OWT) program. This is a program created by First US Army to take recently returning Reserve/ NG soldier and extending their AD orders, so that they can train soldiers preparing to deploy.

Other programs available would be, Reserve Drill Sgt, Recruiting, Personal and plenty of other things.

If you are just looking to get on AD and do not really care what it is, I would contact HRC and ask them what missions they need augmenters for. That would give you a good list of options and will help speed up the process. 

As far as the process of what happens, initially you will receive a Mobilization order. This will be your order bringing you on AD, in most cases these will be 365 to 730 day orders. Your orders will tell you when and where to report. When you report you will go through SRP, SRP is basically getting your entire medical, dental and personal background up to speed and changing your statues from M-day to AD.

After SRP is complete you will receive a TCS/ PCS order, this will be the order that sends you to where ever you are going. It will authorize your expenses, travel, per diem and will assign/ attach you to a command.

Before the initial set of mobilization orders are complete if you are choosing to extend on AD, you will have to submit an extension packet. This normally takes about 120 days to get approved, so you would want to start it several months a head of your REFRAD date. 

The demobilization process is called SRC and basically it is everything you did in SRP, but this time it is taking you from AD to M-day statues.


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## car (Feb 2, 2009)

J.A.B. is spot on - except that they changed the length you can Mob. It's currently only 365 days, unless you're deploying, then it's 400 days. This can be problematic when it comes to train-up and all the things J.A.B. is talking about. About a third of my command are Mob'd reservists. Many of them "re-mob" and "re-mob" but only 365 days at a time.


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## BravoOne (Feb 3, 2009)

car said:


> J.A.B. is spot on - except that they changed the length you can Mob. It's currently only 365 days, unless you're deploying, then it's 400 days. This can be problematic when it comes to train-up and all the things J.A.B. is talking about. About a third of my command are Mob'd reservists. Many of them "re-mob" and "re-mob" but only 365 days at a time.



Ok so youre saying that basically these reservists either got involuntarily mobbed or volunteered, liked the duty/ location,etc... and extended their orders a little before the year was up so they could "re-mob" and "re-mob"?

I have two particular places in mind that I could see myself doing a good stretch of Active duty so what you are saying would sound like the way to go. Just volunteering to go AD and winding up on the Kwajalein atoll is not what Im looking for. So it would seem the thing to do when the time comes would just be to call the Reserve affairs rep at the commands and look for a vacancy then?

Thanks


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## BravoOne (Feb 5, 2009)

*IMA option*

As an Individual Mobilization Augmentee since the slot that is held is what would be occupied if the IMA were called to Active duty with the active component of assignment wouldnt it be easy to go on/off active duty as an IMA?

I have read of IMAs being called up but not for duty at their assigned active duty installation. How could that be the case if their purpose is to fill their slot in times of need?

I am asking because I think that maybe leaving a TPU for a nominative IMA position might be a good option.


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## Diamondback 2/2 (Feb 5, 2009)

BravoOne said:


> As an Individual Mobilization Augmentee since the slot that is held is what would be occupied if the IMA were called to Active duty with the active component of assignment wouldnt it be easy to go on/off active duty as an IMA?
> 
> I have read of IMAs being called up but not for duty at their assigned active duty installation. How could that be the case if their purpose is to fill their slot in times of need?
> 
> I am asking because I think that maybe leaving a TPU for a nominative IMA position might be a good option.



I would not go IMA, I would stay TPU and look for work as an attached soldier. The draw back with IMA, is that you are not promotable for a full year and you have to be promoted off of the slot you are holding as a IMA soldier. This can screw you up really bad on the promotion side of things.

Normally all you need as a TPU soldier is a DA 4187 request form, memo of release and a volunteer statement from your command. Your command will authorize the attachment, and the gaining command (command you are attaching to) will file a request for mobilization orders. Once you have received a mob order, you will then report for the SRP I posted about.

Now the good thing about staying TPU is that you still promote Army wide, meaning you can have your TPU or mob command fill out your promotion packet. You don’t lose that year of promotability and you maintain a chain of command on the TPU side. This can be helpful if you find your self being mistreated or if personal issues come up. It’s always better to have as many people working for you as you can…

Now as for TCS and PCS, you will more then likely get a TCS order and not a PCS. This is good, b/c you will more then likely be authorized per diem and lodging along with normal pay and allowances. As for getting what you want, it’s always needs of the Army. So you really have to be prepared mentally to be told yes but receive a no, if you know what I mean…

All in all the best advice is to find a place you want to be assigned, and start getting good POC with the CSM, OPS NCO, and any NCOIC’s. Use your chain of command to facilitate the attachment and do your own work. Stay on top of it and if you don’t get it the first time, keep trying…


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## BravoOne (Feb 5, 2009)

J.A.B. said:


> The draw back with IMA, is that you are not promotable for a full year and you have to be promoted off of the slot you are holding as a IMA soldier. This can screw you up really bad on the promotion side of things.
> 
> All in all the best advice is to find a place you want to be assigned, and start getting good POC with the CSM, OPS NCO, and any NCOIC’s. Use your chain of command to facilitate the attachment and do your own work. Stay on top of it and if you don’t get it the first time, keep trying…



I wont be pinning 7 on anytime soon cause I should be getting 6 this fall. But yeah... going IMA would screw me up as far as a quick move.

So brown nosing the TPU Commander for a possible release if I can find a slot where I'd like to be sounds likes the best move. Most Commanders are being funny about releasing people but if it's the kind of orders where Id still have to drill with the TPU for the whole year then it wouldnt be any skin off their nose. Cool

Thanks JAB


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## Diamondback 2/2 (Feb 7, 2009)

BravoOne said:


> I wont be pinning 7 on anytime soon cause I should be getting 6 this fall. But yeah... going IMA would screw me up as far as a quick move.
> 
> So brown nosing the TPU Commander for a possible release if I can find a slot where I'd like to be sounds likes the best move. Most Commanders are being funny about releasing people but if it's the kind of orders where Id still have to drill with the TPU for the whole year then it wouldnt be any skin off their nose. Cool
> 
> Thanks JAB



A good unit to contact would be USAR Small Arms Rediness Group, out of Fort Gilem, GA...

They have alot of MOB's and a lot of duty locations... Just an idea...;)


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## BravoOne (Feb 7, 2009)

THANKS J.A.B!


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## EverSoLost (Feb 12, 2009)

car said:


> J.A.B. is spot on - except that they changed the length you can Mob. It's currently only 365 days, unless you're deploying, then it's 400 days. This can be problematic when it comes to train-up and all the things J.A.B. is talking about. About a third of my command are Mob'd reservists. Many of them "re-mob" and "re-mob" but only 365 days at a time.



SGM, if you ever figure out how this works for guardsmen I'll be happy to pull an ADOS tour as a clerk! :)

To add to this HRC Actually list "some" of the available tours...

https://www.hrc.army.mil/site/reserve/


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