I would like to fulfill my three remaining years needed to retire, in the IRR. How would I accomplish this?

SGT Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 19 Apr 2020 11:29:58 -0400

I have been in the Active Reserves for 17 years. My contract expires in September.

Response by SGM Private RallyPoint Member made Apr 19 at 2020 11:55 AM

SGM Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 19 Apr 2020 11:55:48 -0400

If you want your final three years to count towards 20 total qualifying years for nonregular retirement, I would recommend that you just extend for three more years in your current TPU position, or any other available TPU position.
You must accrue at least 50 points for a year to count towards retirement, and doing all the work yourself to find a way to get 50 points out of an IRR year is significantly more challenging than just showing up for a set drill schedule.

But if you must go IRR, the process is to get the extension done first so your ETS takes you to 20 years, then request transfer to the IRR, and I recommend that you also affiliate with your current BN/BDE/RRC as a Drilling Individual Mob Augmentee (DIMA) and try to get your 50 points per year through them.

Response by SFC Michael Hasbun made Apr 19 at 2020 12:01 PM

SFC Michael Hasbun — Sun, 19 Apr 2020 12:01:47 -0400

If you go IRR, you won't receive the amount of points needed each year to have a good year, and thus will stop earning years creditable towards retirement.

Response by SFC Ralph E Kelley made Apr 19 at 2020 12:26 PM

SFC Ralph E Kelley — Sun, 19 Apr 2020 12:26:58 -0400

Do an extension unless you're after a bonus. No work out here now with companies not hiring and barely hanging on. Choose wisely

Response by COL R. Bruce Chisholm made Apr 19 at 2020 12:54 PM

COL R. Bruce Chisholm — Sun, 19 Apr 2020 12:54:44 -0400

I recall having to be attached to a unit to get SGLI and writing a check for the premium.
Looking back, maxing out inactive points (70/year) when not mobilized paid off when collecting the retirement check.

Response by CSM Darieus ZaGara made Apr 19 at 2020 2:29 PM

CSM Darieus ZaGara — Sun, 19 Apr 2020 14:29:20 -0400

The points aren’t there. If that were the case folks could chill in IRR for years and draw a pension. Short cuts rarely provide solutions to anything. Enjoy your drills.

Response by LTC Private RallyPoint Member made Apr 19 at 2020 3:39 PM

LTC Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 19 Apr 2020 15:39:09 -0400

Review your points statement.
The fact that you think this is a good plan leads me to believe you may not understand what a "good year" is, you may be farther from retirement than you think

Response by SSgt Christophe Murphy made Apr 19 at 2020 11:30 PM

SSgt Christophe Murphy — Sun, 19 Apr 2020 23:30:06 -0400

That’s not really how IRR works in regards to earning towards retirement. You may need to talk over your options with your admin folks because it seems you have some poor info

Response by COL Private RallyPoint Member made Apr 21 at 2020 2:00 AM

COL Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 21 Apr 2020 02:00:25 -0400

To go into the IRR, you would need to talk with a career counselor to see if they are taking people. Sometimes if TPU organizations are short handed, they will not allow a transfer into the IRR. As several folks have said on this feed, you have to participate in order to get a qualifying year for retirement. That is harder now than it was a few years ago. I left active duty in 1988 as a 1LT. I went immediately into the Individual Ready Reserve (IRR). I spent the entirety of my career in the IRR. I took every opportunity that came my way. I did correspondence points to get good years. I took as many two week Annual Training events as they would offer. Once the GWOT started, I ended up doing 3 tours in Iraq, 1 in Afghanistan, I did 2 tours on the Joint Staff, 1 tour at CENTCOM and two tours at the Center of Military History. Despite never having a company command, a battalion command, Army Staff time, a TPU assignment or any of the normal career paths, I retired in 2016 as a Colonel. I was an IRR Soldier the whole time. I ended up with 27 qualifying years out of 30. It can be done but it takes a lot of determination and you have to catch a few breaks. If you are within three years of qualifying for retirement, I would recommend staying in the active reserve unit so that you are guaranteed to get the qualifying years for retirement.

Response by CPT Private RallyPoint Member made Apr 21 at 2020 8:31 AM

CPT Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 21 Apr 2020 08:31:41 -0400

Please clarify what you mean by "Active Reserves". I'm guessing that you are a Drilling Reservist as opposed to an AGR Soldier, but can't tell from your profile.
Like the others have stated you won't be able to get a "good year" in the IRR.
Suck it up and re-enlist for three more years... otherwise you'll end up with nothing.
You're over the hump and the finish line is in sight, stick it out, become a "gray area retiree" and wait for your check/Tricare to kick in when you get your "blue ID Card".

Response by PO1 Fred Anderson made Apr 21 at 2020 1:01 PM

PO1 Fred Anderson — Tue, 21 Apr 2020 13:01:06 -0400

Does the Army offer alternative ways to accumulate points. In the Navy, one can complete courses for points to apply towards a good year. Of course you still have to reenlist to even go IRR.

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Apr 27 at 2020 3:51 AM

SGT Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 27 Apr 2020 03:51:37 -0400

"I also for the life of me can't figure out why someone would want to be 40-50+ years old in the USAR or ARNG and not want to advance into the NCO ranks. I understand that sometimes NCO slots aren't so plentiful, but still...lmao"

Part of the reason why I posted my inquiry in the way that I did, was to avoid receiving comments like the one above, from insensitive and ill-informed individuals such as this. There is no shortage of people in the military who want to slam you, if they feel they have something over you, like rank. It gives them a sort of 'carte blanche' to make condescending comments like the one above. What kind of person would make a post like the one above, not knowing a darn thing about the person they are commenting about?

"As a matter of fact, since I retired 18 months ago I myself haven't pursued any civilian jobs requiring much in the way of leadership responsibility the way I had in my career as an NCO. I figure I want to rest on my laurels a bit and just maintain an easy civilian job for the time being while using my GI Bill, in essence collecting a little extra money myself."

And now this above comment really reveals the kind of person making the post, doesn't it? SFC, you are speaking with a man who owns his own online business and owns rental property (free and clear) making greater than six figures per year. My CO doesn't work for me as in the example by the other, more nuanced individual who responded to you, but unlike you, I have never 'rested on my laurels'. That phrase does not come into my vocabulary, EVER. In fact, am a bonafide millionaire (when you subtract my liabilities/debts from my assets), and work 12 hours a day, every day, including Sunday. I have to do this, because as a self-employed person, I have to create my own opportunities every day, or I earn nothing. I may not have or will not retire as a SFC, but unlike others, I am already collecting my retirement from my rental properties which I own outright. I don't have to wait until the age of 60 minus a few months for time deployed, in order to collect my retirement. The rent checks that my tenants give me on the first of each month are my retirement, and what the Army will give me in 19 years will only be 'icing on the cake'. You don't get to claim that kind of thing if you are someone who 'rests on their laurels'.

But hey, good luck to YOU!