Expert: Rod Powers - 11/11/2007

Question
QUESTION: If I 4187 into the reserve and I don't like it and only have 3 months left can I quit by just not going my recruiter is telling me I will just go back into the IRR the unit is 400 miles round trip and is just to hard. Can I just quit? I am not MOS Q and also have a new state job I am on a probationary period with so don't want to jeopardize it... ??????

ANSWER: Hi Gordon,

Hmmm......as much as I would like to be "psychic," I'm not. By "4187," do you mean that's an MOS in the Marine Corps Reserves? (You fail to mention what service you're talking about).

Also, if you're in the Reserves (of any branch), and only have "3 months left," that would mean that you've been in the service for over five years, so I'm not sure how a "recruiter" would enter the picture, at all.

For more information about the United States Military, feel free to visit my U.S. Military Careers information site at: http://usmilitary.about.com.

Hope this helps!

Rod Powers
http://usmilitary.about.com

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: It is the U.S. Army reserve I was active for four years and then was put on IRR which is standard to fulfill the mandatory eight year obligation. A 4187 is just a non-contractual paper that you fill out to request schools etc., and to transfer back into active reserve with no new contract. Hence I only have three months until my eight years service is fulfilled. As far as the rest goes you have tohave a recruiter to get the paperwork, but that is the limit of their roll. I am what they refer to as a "paper soldier". Also my boss is a retired MSG who was HRC for years and he said that I would automatically retransfer back into IRR as well, I just hoped you might have more insight since my boss has been out for over ten years and rules might have changed.

Answer
Hi Gordon,

Everyone who joins the U.S. Military, whether active duty, Guard, or Reserves incurs a total 8 year service obligation. Whatever part of that 8 years is not spent on active duty, or in the active (drilling) National Guard or Reserves, is spent in the IRR. In the IRR of the Reserves, one does not perform drill, nor is one paid for their participation while in the IRR, but one can be recalled (at any time) to a drilling Reserve unit, or to active duty, if the "powers that be," feel it's necessary to the mission.

When a Military service pays the moeny to send a member to a military course of instruction, they want their "money's worth." They either want a certain amount of time (after graduation from the course) obligated for active duty, or obligated to a drilling Reserve unit. While it differs from course to course, it pretty much averages about three times of obligated service, for each day of militay training for the course.

I'm not talking IRR time here. In order for the Military service to pay for a course of instruction, they are going to want a guarantee of active duty time, or active Reserve (drilling time) upon graduation from the course.

Again, the Army Reserves (nor any service) is going to pay for a training course just to make you more competitive in the civilian market-place. They're going to want their money's worth, and that means a certain amount of active duty time, or active Reserve drilling time, in exchange for the training. Chances of one in the IRR from being accepted for additonal training, without incurring at least a full year of active reserve drilling time, or active duty time, are small -- very small.

For more information about the United States Military, feel free to visit my U.S. Military Information page, at http://usmilitary.about.com.

Hope this helps!

Rod Powers
http://usmilitary.about.com