Chapter 6, Section II, of AR 140-10, establishes that a Soldier can be transferred from the Retired Reserve to the Prepared Reserve. They can be transferred to a TPU unit, IMA or the IRR.
This transfer has to be voluntary. However, during times of emergency or mass mobilization, soldiers in the Retired Reserve are subject to mobilization. They can be mobilized from the Retired Reserve, or they can be transferred to the TPU, IMA or IRR and mobilized from there.
During the other times; however, retired reserve soldiers, if qualified, may volunteer to return to the reserve ready.
Qualifications:
Retired Reserve Soldiers wishing to transfer to TIR must be TIR qualified and must be qualified for deployment. One documentation the soldier needs is a medical examination record. This exam must be reviewed by an Army surgeon. The medical examination and review must take place within one year.
Enlisted personnel must also be qualified to immediately re-enlist. These requirements are listed in AR 140-111. A soldier desiring this type of transfer must be ready for immediate reengagement with a simultaneous transfer to the IRR. If the soldier requests the transfer to the TPU or IMA, it would be an immediate reengagement with simultaneous transfer to the TPU or IMA.
Soldiers must meet the body fat requirements listed in AR 600-9. Ideally, Retired Reserve Soldiers should maintain their physical fitness and be prepared to pass the Army Physical Fitness Test. This is not always practical, and not all gray area retirees do. Those wishing to, or considering, mobilization or transfer back to Ready Reserve should consider staying within body fat standards, as well as being physically able to pass the APFT.
Those who receive a retired payment generally cannot transfer to the Prepared Reserve. There is one exception, which is listed below.
If a Soldier was involuntarily removed from the Prepared Pool, due to an action taken by a retention or promotion board, or due to statute or regulation, that Soldier is not eligible to be transferred back to the Prepared Pool.
Not eligible for transfer:
Soldiers in the Retired Reserve for the following reasons will not be able to request transfer to the Prepared Reserve:
* A review board, promotion board, or other board removed the Soldier from the Ready Reserve category that the Soldier is trying to return to.
* The statute requires that the Soldier be removed from the Prepared Reserve.
* If the Soldier were successfully transferred to the Ready Pool, and that Soldier would be automatically required to be removed from the Ready Pool as required by law or regulation, that Soldier may not be transferred back to the Ready Pool.
* The Soldier receives retirement pay, with the exception listed in paragraph 6-5, AR 140-10.
Application process:
A Soldier in the Retired Reserve is still considered in the Army. As such, soldiers can go to the nearest career counselor to help start the transfer process.
As mentioned above, you need a medical evaluation that has been reviewed by an Army surgeon within the past year. You should also generate a memo. In this memo, you must state the following:
* That you are requesting a transfer from the Retired Reserve to the TIR.
* The justification you used in the memorandum you included in your request for transfer to the Retired Reserve.
* Whether you are receiving disability compensation or not. If you receive disability compensation, how much you receive each month.
* Your willingness to serve in the TIR and be qualified and available for deployment if necessary.
If you transferred to the Retiree Pool for reasons other than being eligible to retire with pay at age 60, and your new contract would take you to the mandatory removal date before you qualify to retire with pay, you must also include the following statement :
* The understanding that you are subject to mandatory removal before you can complete 20 years of qualified service. This statement can literally be found in paragraph 6-5, AR 140-10.
If your TIR transfer request is approved, you will receive transfer orders that will transfer you from the Withdrawn Reserve to the TIR. If you are enlisted, these orders will require you to immediately re-enlist the day after the effective date of the order.
Tip:
Contact your nearest career counselor for details on this process and review the appropriate sections of the references below.
References:
AR 140-10, US Army Reserve Assignments, Attachments, Details, and Transfers.
AR 140-111, US Army Reserve Reengagement Program.
AR 600-9, Army Body Composition Program.
