Shutdown and Reserves

For those of you who are in the reserves many drill weekends have been cancelled with no rescheduling date due to the shutdown. If your unit has not contacted you about it, you may want to contact your chain of command.

I know for the spouse, he was told that Lodging and Kind (the provided housing for those traveling over 50 miles) was not going to be available last Monday, and yesterday he was told drill was cancelled. There are no current plans to reschedule. He was also informed to verify that his Tricare was still valid as there have been several issues (not sure if shutdown related or change of fiscal year related) with people being erroneously dropped from coverage.

I am not trying to spread panic, but it definitely changed plans in our household, and checking with Tricare (called the hotline, worked through the phone tree to verify payment was accepted) was fairly simple which was relief.

 

[nwlivewire]

For those of you who are in the reserves many drill weekends have been cancelled with no rescheduling date due to the shutdown. If your unit has not contacted you about it, you may want to contact your chain of command.

I know for the spouse, he was told that Lodging and Kind (the provided housing for those traveling over 50 miles) was not going to be available last Monday, and yesterday he was told drill was cancelled. There are no current plans to reschedule. He was also informed to verify that his Tricare was still valid as there have been several issues (not sure if shutdown related or change of fiscal year related) with people being erroneously dropped from coverage.

I am not trying to spread panic, but it definitely changed plans in our household, and checking with Tricare (called the hotline, worked through the phone tree to verify payment was accepted) was fairly simple which was relief.

One issue that popped into my head is about the cancelling of drill.

As all NG/Reservists know, a traditional "part-timer" needs to perform so many days per year in their annual retirement year date time frames in order to earn a successful and QUALIFYING RETIREMENT YEAR.

How is Congress and Senate going o resolve THAT issue if drills are CANCELLED due to NO FAULT of the SOLDIER???

How is Congress and Senate going to resolve THAT issue if the make-up of that cancelled drill falls outside of that SMs anniversary year dates? Especially if that SM is in year 18 or 19? Does that mean that the SM is going to have to do an ADDITIONAL YEAR (21 years) in order to make it to 20 "GOOD" years???

HOW MESSED UP IS THIS!!!!!

V/R,
nwlivewire

 

[MirAid06]

One issue that popped into my head is about the cancelling of drill.

As all NG/Reservists know, a traditional "part-timer" needs to perform so many days per year in their annual retirement year date time frames in order to earn a successful and QUALIFYING RETIREMENT YEAR.

How is Congress and Senate going o resolve THAT issue if drills are CANCELLED due to NO FAULT of the SOLDIER???

How is Congress and Senate going to resolve THAT issue if the make-up of that cancelled drill falls outside of that SMs anniversary year dates? Especially if that SM is in year 18 or 19? Does that mean that the SM is going to have to do an ADDITIONAL YEAR (21 years) in order to make it to 20 "GOOD" years???

HOW MESSED UP IS THIS!!!!!

V/R,
nwlivewire

That's a great question. This would only really be a problem if there were many drills missed already that year and were not made up. A good year only requires 50 points and you are already given 15 for being in the reserves. They would have had to have missed AT as well as 3 months of regular MUTA 4s to be at risk of not having a good year. While the shutdown is definitely causing issues with pay and tricare and SGLI possibly, hopefully, no one will have put themselves in the situation :/

 

[nwlivewire]

That's a great question. This would only really be a problem if there were many drills missed already that year and were not made up. A good year only requires 50 points and you are already given 15 for being in the reserves. They would have had to have missed AT as well as 3 months of regular MUTA 4s to be at risk of not having a good year. While the shutdown is definitely causing issues with pay and tricare and SGLI possibly, hopefully, no one will have put themselves in the situation :/

Most SMs I know don't intentionally put themselves in these kind of sorry-A$$ situations intentionally.

Sometimes health, work, looking for work, school, death of family members, etc., can put the SM behind the "eight-ball" in an anniversary year, and they JUST barely make their time to qualify that particular year as a "good" retirement year.

Cancellations will not only affect ALL SMs potential qualifying retirement "Good Years", but also impact ALL affected SMs monthly pay (no drill pay). And IF employed, these SMs will be having to coordinate the additional time-off with employers/schools to make up that drill time - that is, IF that drill is EVER scheduled to be made up by those branches that cancelled in the first place, AND funding is in place to support "make-up drills".

And then there are the issues of insurance payments, too. Many SMs depend on their monthly drill pay to PAY for their insurances - SGLI & other health care. No drill - no pay - how to pay for this???

This is a real concern for the FEW MILLION who serve in the Reserve Forces (not sure how many million).

There could be other impacts, too. But these are just off the top of my head.

V/R,
nwlivewire

 

[Shay's Red]

The idea of the good year popped into my head too. Spouse had a tough time getting a good year this year because he had a very difficult time getting an AT set of dates due to the medical board and the restriction of travel as a result. He managed to get a "home station AT", but we lost money on it (i.e. cost of getting to and from drill was less than payments) since lodging was not provided and he drills 3 plus hours away.

I am hoping in Spouse's case that he will be retired and out before this next year and any missed drills due to the govt will be a moot point.

 

[nwlivewire]

The idea of the good year popped into my head too. Spouse had a tough time getting a good year this year because he had a very difficult time getting an AT set of dates due to the medical board and the restriction of travel as a result. He managed to get a "home station AT", but we lost money on it (i.e. cost of getting to and from drill was less than payments) since lodging was not provided and he drills 3 plus hours away.

I am hoping in Spouse's case that he will be retired and out before this next year and any missed drills due to the govt will be a moot point.

I understand what you're saying here. And I hope the brunt of any of these cancellations will not be impacting the already battle-torn Wounded Warriors in any of our Reserve Branches.

Injured while in service to the nation, being in the Reserve Force structures & going through the IDES process in that SMs local area, all the while injured SM required maintaining medical care (appts., surgery, convo), and then, all the while keeping up with drill cycles (if needed) is a big load to an injured SM. To top it all off, the changing/cancelling of drill cycles, with the impacting pay losses & insurance issues combined with the potential of NOT meeting a good retirement year due to these cancellations of drill/lack of funding for drill/drill make-ups- well, that is really putting it to the injured SM. Not to mention the family impacts of SMs care, drill attendance & travel/food/lodging at the SMs own expense.

I just hope NO Reserve SM gets shorted on a "good year" and then gets retired out before they can have a chance to make up this lost time. Especially if that "LOST" year could have made the difference in getting to a Reserve retirement.

Keeping fingers and toes crossed our Government Representatives get their Fiscal "poop in a group" today and can find a way to pay for our Nation's already contracted debts.

V/R,
nwlivewire

 

[gsfowler]

You are required to have 50 retirement points per year for it to be considered a "good" retirement year (a retirement year goes from your PEBD to one day prior the following year) Example would be PEBD 15 Jan, end date would be 14 Jan. Thsi date can be adjusted if you have a break in service.

Each Unit schedules or more retirement points in a Fiscal Year with just the battle assembly (weekend drills) and there there is annual training to (typically 14-17 retirement points in case you miss weekend drills and do not make them up).

Servicemembers should always make sure that they have enough retirement points each years, it falls upon them, nobody else. The most points you are allowed each year (if not on active duty orders) is 130.

You can earn retirement points if the following ways:

• Inactive Duty Training (IDT), paid and non-paid 4 or 8 hour duty (IRR Soldiers must be attached to a Unit per AR 140-10.)

• Active Duty (AD), Active Duty for Training (ADT), Annual Training (AT)

• Correspondence Course (Nonresidential) Points

• Funeral Honors Duty (Maximum of 1 retirement point per calendar day)

AR 140-185 is the regulation if anyone needs any guidance.

 

[Jason Perry]

I understand what you're saying here. And I hope the brunt of any of these cancellations will not be impacting the already battle-torn Wounded Warriors in any of our Reserve Branches.

Injured while in service to the nation, being in the Reserve Force structures & going through the IDES process in that SMs local area, all the while injured SM required maintaining medical care (appts., surgery, convo), and then, all the while keeping up with drill cycles (if needed) is a big load to an injured SM. To top it all off, the changing/cancelling of drill cycles, with the impacting pay losses & insurance issues combined with the potential of NOT meeting a good retirement year due to these cancellations of drill/lack of funding for drill/drill make-ups- well, that is really putting it to the injured SM. Not to mention the family impacts of SMs care, drill attendance & travel/food/lodging at the SMs own expense.

I just hope NO Reserve SM gets shorted on a "good year" and then gets retired out before they can have a chance to make up this lost time. Especially if that "LOST" year could have made the difference in getting to a Reserve retirement.

Keeping fingers and toes crossed our Government Representatives get their Fiscal "poop in a group" today and can find a way to pay for our Nation's already contracted debts.

V/R,
nwlivewire

I reached out to both the Vice Chief of Staff of the Army and the Chief, National Guard Bureau (GEN Campbell and GEN Grass) about this issue of members potentially having problems with "good years." They both are aware of this issue. Yesterday, GEN Grass responded via email and told me that the senior leadership is aware of the issue and have taken steps to make sure this is not a a problem for members. Additionally, they emphasized that members should not be denied a good year as a result of the shutdown during a teleconference with the State Adjutants General. They asked me to provide any updates or information should a member have a problem with getting a "good year" as a result of the shutdown.

If anyone does have a problem, please let me know.

 

[nwlivewire]

I reached out to both the Vice Chief of Staff of the Army and the Chief, National Guard Bureau (GEN Campbell and GEN Grass) about this issue of members potentially having problems with "good years." They both are aware of this issue. Yesterday, GEN Grass responded via email and told me that the senior leadership is aware of the issue and have taken steps to make sure this is not a a problem for members. Additionally, they emphasized that members should not be denied a good year as a result of the shutdown during a teleconference with the State Adjutants General. They asked me to provide any updates or information should a member have a problem with getting a "good year" as a result of the shutdown.

If anyone does have a problem, please let me know.

THANK-YOU JASON!!!

This issue won't have any impact on me as I am already retired.

BUT, it may come up for others (a few).

This IS an important issue for those injured and who are so very close to a "Good Year" AND/OR a 20-YEAR LETTER.

I am very glad you reached out to the NGB and got something back in writing from them.

THANK-YOU JASON for ALL you do and for helping ALL military branches - Active AND Reserve.

We are all in this together and all our issues need a voice.

V/R,
nwlivewire