Posted on Jun 24, 2019
SFC(P) Instructor/Writer
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On my DD214, I have 17 years 5 months and 25 days of Active Federal Service (AFS). I am currently in the Army Reserves as an IPU Soldier since 20150208. Does my Reserve time put me over the 18 year mark. If so, can I apply for sanctuary?
Posted in these groups: D3fe61e5 Army Reserve Elements
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Responses: 2
MSG Gary Eckert
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Sanctuary refers to REFRAD (release from active duty), so the first requirement is you must have been ordered to active duty. If you are going to exceed 18 years on your scheduled REFRAD date then you can apply for sanctuary and stay until you qualify for retirement at 20 years. You cannot be on annual training or active duty for training orders to qualify.
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SFC Michael D.
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Don't mean to sound uninformed but is this sanctuary a new thing and what exactly does it do for you?
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MSG Gary Eckert
MSG Gary Eckert
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It is not new, it has been around since at least 1978 when I came on active duty and it is codified in Title 10. Basically it says, you cannot be forced to separate before you are retirement eligible once you obtain 18 years of active federal service. When I was in the most common application was PT and Height/Wt failures could not be discharged after 18 years. With reserve unit activations happening now, if affects soldiers that were separated from active duty late in their careers who elected to join the reserves so they would get some retirement. If a soldiers is activated and that activation takes them beyond eighteen years they can remain on active duty and draw active duty retirement.
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MAJ Ken Landgren
MAJ Ken Landgren
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MSG Gary Eckert - Does sanctuary apply to folks who going through a MEB?
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MSG Gary Eckert
MSG Gary Eckert
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MAJ Ken Landgren - Maybe, my understanding is you cannot be given a medical discharge but you could be medically retired or placed on the TDRL.
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MAJ Ken Landgren
MAJ Ken Landgren
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Thanks. I was lucky and was able to retire at 20 years and went through the MEB process.
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