Posted on Apr 28, 2014
LTC Operations Officer (Opso)
5.89K
6
9
0
0
0
I have a serious bone to pick with the system that is currently allowing Soldiers to get out of the Army with honorable or general discharges when they came up hot on urine analysis and then put into the IRR. Yes National Guard I am looking squarely at you on this one. I have never heard or seen an Active Component or Reserves Soldier being able to be put into the IRR after coming up hot on urine analysis. But I cannot change the National Guard but I would like to at least see the retention system be able to tell me if I am being ask to bring in a Soldier to my unit that just happened to not have valid APFT in the last year due to being ETS or put in the IRR with no final APFT or if there is more to the story. I can work with those who have used or are using drugs. I have and still am working with these Soldiers to get them the help that they need. However, if you do not come to ask for help before the Commander reads off your name then "game on" and full press on you, particularly if it is more than one failed test. I have done myself paperwork to process Soldiers out due to limited staff as well as had my full-time staff working on these packets. I have had to make calls to get the packets moved along to avoid hitting an ETS date. Why do National Guard units allow Commanders to take the easy route and put them into the IRR where they can keep all their benefits and screw the next unit they go to? With many of my IRR and Active Component transfers they are not DMOSQ for my unit so I have to send them to reclass. I will gladly do that for a Soldier who is willing and able. If you fail ht/wt or APFT you get flagged and we work with you until you pass to go to school. However, with a drug hot you are flagged and that is it for DMOSQ. I am stuck with a mountain of paperwork to go through as well as having a non-DMOSQ Soldier because someone did not put them out the right way.

I would like to hear from all components to see if they have this issue and higher ranking officers and NCOs of how they think we can resolve this issue.
Posted in these groups: Us army irr ssi IRR
Avatar feed
Responses: 3
SGM Matthew Quick
1
1
0
To answer the title question...retention (active Army) can see any and all flags, regardless of classification.

Why is this a 'retention' issue...this is a commander's issue.
(1)
Comment
(0)
LTC Operations Officer (Opso)
LTC (Join to see)
>1 y
MSG(P) Quick,

I am in the Reserves so the retention factor is that is who is responsible to bring back Soldiers out of the IRR or have Soldiers re-enlist. I am sure this is different than the active component. Our retention command said that they can only see apft/ht/wt.

However, with your retention and ours they can only see flags if they are there. If someone short cuts it and just puts them in IRR without a flag nobody is the wiser....
(1)
Reply
(0)
Avatar small
MSgt Keith Hebert
1
1
0
Wow I have never heard of that, and I retired from the air guard. I remember several guys getting processed out due to drugs and it happened quick.
(1)
Comment
(0)
LTC Operations Officer (Opso)
LTC (Join to see)
>1 y
Do you know how they were processed out? Was it honorable, general, other than honorable? Or were they just dumped into the IRR?

I never received anyone from Air Guard.
(0)
Reply
(0)
MSgt Keith Hebert
MSgt Keith Hebert
>1 y
No idea our leadership kept that info to themselves
(0)
Reply
(0)
Avatar small
SFC A.M. Drake
1
1
0
Sir,

Good question cant wait for the other responses, I think the main issue is that the NG are controlled by the states and not the Feds...Each state is responsible for their own state militia are they not? If so then that is probably why the rules are a little different than the federal side, sort of like MP's only has jurisdiction on military posts and yet in an emergency any state police/trooper can come on post carte blanch!
(1)
Comment
(0)
LTC Operations Officer (Opso)
LTC (Join to see)
>1 y
You would think if they receive federal funding they would at least have to report some basic things. Professional courtesy or something.
(0)
Reply
(0)
SFC A.M. Drake
SFC A.M. Drake
>1 y
Yes you would think so. However you have some members that have been in the same units, with the same rank until age 60. I hate to beat up on them, however facts are facts. Sir did you see this week Army Times about the NG/States are lobbying all congressional members to place into law a stoppage of the transfer of helicopters to the Active branch until a study comes out?
(0)
Reply
(0)
LTC Operations Officer (Opso)
LTC (Join to see)
>1 y
I have not seen it yet, but I will have to look.
(1)
Reply
(0)
Avatar small

Join nearly 2 million former and current members of the US military, just like you.

close