Bigger Corps stops calling up IRR Marines - Marine Corps News | News from Afghanistan & Iraq - Marine Corps Times

Bigger Corps stops calling up IRR Marines

The Corps has stopped putting Individual Ready Reserve Marines on involuntary orders, phasing out recalls as the active-duty force has grown to 202,000.

A little more than 200 Marines who reported for duty in late spring are likely the last reservists to get involuntarily recalled, said Maj. Steven O’Connor, a spokesman at Marine Corps Headquarters.

“I don’t think, in my estimation, that we’ll have another authorization,” he said. “Anything could happen.”

The Corps has relied on recalled Marines to fill critical manpower shortages in active and Selected Reserve units since the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq began. But the Corps’ growing active force is filling those shortages.

Since the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, the Corps has recalled about 3,800 IRR Marines, O’Connor said. The last presidential recall authorization was in July 2006, giving the Corps authority to recall up to 2,500 IRR Marines at any time. Since then, more than 1,900 members of the IRR have been ordered to return to duty.

Currently, 610 Marines are on involuntary recall orders, according to Manpower and Reserve Affairs officials at Quantico, Va.

A majority of enlisted recalled Marines have been corporals and sergeants, according to information provided by Manpower. A “limited” number of captains also have been recalled.

The most common occupational fields recalled have been military police, infantrymen, vehicle operators and mechanics, communicators, engineers, artillerymen and tankers, Manpower officials said.

There are, at any given time, about 60,000 members of the IRR. Activated reservists typically spend a year on active-duty.

They have finished their active duty and Reserve service but still have time remaining on their contracts. Mobilization Command, Kansas City, Mo., only recalls IRR Marines in the second and third years of their four-year contracts, often disrupting their civilian lives, forcing many to delay professional careers or college.

Being recalled isn’t a bitter experience for everyone. After receiving requests from members of the IRR to remain on active duty, the Corps announced it would allow IRR Marines to voluntarily extend in order to stay deployed.

Because IRR Marines have no more than 12 months to complete predeployment training, redeployment, demobilization and take accrued leave, they do not have enough time to complete a seven-month deployment. A December 2008 Marine Administrative message allowed IRR members on orders to extend beyond that time.