What is the longest break in service that you ever heard of?

TSgt Carl Johnson — Thu, 11 Apr 2019 05:40:34 -0400

I was transferred to Non-Active Reserve status on 5 DEC 91, and enlisted in the Air National Guard on 5 APR 2003. I'm sure that some of you have had, or have known someone with, longer breaks than that.

Response by CW5 Jack Cardwell made Apr 11 at 2019 5:42 AM

CW5 Jack Cardwell — Thu, 11 Apr 2019 05:42:37 -0400

You make my 6 year break look like nothing !

Response by SPC Private RallyPoint Member made Apr 11 at 2019 6:14 AM

SPC Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 11 Apr 2019 06:14:31 -0400

I don't feel so bad about my 7 year break now... lol

Response by SGM Private RallyPoint Member made Apr 11 at 2019 8:20 AM

SGM Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 11 Apr 2019 08:20:13 -0400

I have worked with three people in the Army National Guard that had breaks between 14 and 20 years.

Response by SSG Brian G. made Apr 11 at 2019 8:38 AM

SSG Brian G. — Thu, 11 Apr 2019 08:38:30 -0400

You say transferred to Inactive Reserve in 91, but when you were transferred, how many years did you have left on that contract. There is no actual 'break' until the contract is up and the next one begins. You might not be active or reserve but you are still under contract.

That said, the longest I saw was 6 years.

Response by SPC Elijah J. Henry, MBA made Apr 11 at 2019 8:49 AM

SPC Elijah J. Henry, MBA — Thu, 11 Apr 2019 08:49:22 -0400

There was a Ranger in my RASP class in 2015 who had gotten out in 2001 or 2002 and had been trying to get back in to rejoin Batt ever since.

Response by COL Private RallyPoint Member made Apr 11 at 2019 8:49 AM

COL Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 11 Apr 2019 08:49:30 -0400

Fun fact...many senior officers actually retired, and then were called back in. For instance, MacArthur retired as Chief of Staff of the Army in 1937. He was called back in 1941 and fought WWII and Korea. He retired again after 50+ years of service.

Response by MSG Private RallyPoint Member made Apr 11 at 2019 10:14 AM

MSG Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 11 Apr 2019 10:14:18 -0400

My break was 5.5 years. The longest that I knew of was two Soldiers (one a SGT and the other a LTC), in my very first Reserve unit in 1993 had served in/during the Vietnam War.

Response by SSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Apr 11 at 2019 10:57 AM

SSgt Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 11 Apr 2019 10:57:34 -0400

TSgt Carl Johnson I had 18 years and 4 months between 24 Apr 2000 to 24 Sept 2018 for my break. Oddly enough, the day I re-enlisted in the MO Air Guard would have been the day after I could've retired at 20 years if I had not received a medical discharge in 2000...lol!

Response by MSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Apr 11 at 2019 12:09 PM

MSgt Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 11 Apr 2019 12:09:02 -0400

I only had a couple years... but if i didn’t have one I’d be retired by now. Damn...

Response by SPC Mike Bolton made Apr 11 at 2019 9:39 PM

SPC Mike Bolton — Thu, 11 Apr 2019 21:39:10 -0400

I got out of the guard in 1996. Talked to a recruiter last Friday about getting back in. I'll be 46 this year.

Response by SFC Casey O'Mally made Apr 12 at 2019 5:33 AM

SFC Casey O'Mally — Fri, 12 Apr 2019 05:33:48 -0400

I had a guy in Huachuca, "Old man Johnson," (we has two SFC Johnsons in the G3, the other was "Johnson, the younger") who got out of the Army when his wife was pregnant with his first child. He wanted to be able to spend every moment with his kids. After he sent his younger to college, he joined back up. 21 year break in service. 56 year old SFC with 16 years TIS.

Response by SSgt Clare May made Apr 12 at 2019 1:26 PM

SSgt Clare May — Fri, 12 Apr 2019 13:26:42 -0400

Mr brother... William Eugene May Jr.... from USMC in mid 1970...until about mid 1985...into the USA... RIP 12/13/2018...

Response by LTC Private RallyPoint Member made Apr 12 at 2019 3:16 PM

LTC Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 12 Apr 2019 15:16:17 -0400

When I was a young Soldier (prior-service) in Germany in the 90s, my new Platoon Sergeant (PLT SGT) arrived in country a couple of months after me. He was in the Army since the 1970s in the Vietnam-era. An E-6, who quickly became an E7 in a month or two since I believe he had some many points accrued due to Time-in-Service/Time-in-Grade.

He was one crusty dude, but he was a pretty good PLT SGT. But, you surely didn't want to make him mad or mess with him.... everyone in the unit knew that.

Response by PO1 Dennis Herdina made Apr 13 at 2019 2:46 AM

PO1 Dennis Herdina — Sat, 13 Apr 2019 02:46:59 -0400

I have heard of 1 indiv who was reactivated for Desert Storm...very specialized case..he was a 16 inch gunfire specialist from Korea or WW2. Not sure if this is a sea story or not..i heard he was a Master Chief when retired in 88.

Response by CW3 Harvey K. made Apr 13 at 2019 8:57 PM

CW3 Harvey K. — Sat, 13 Apr 2019 20:57:08 -0400

I was in "standby reserve", sweating out discharge or recall, in 1964-65. Then I enlisted again in 1976. so it would be 11-12 years break in service.

Response by COL Jon Lopey made Apr 15 at 2019 11:51 AM

COL Jon Lopey — Mon, 15 Apr 2019 11:51:28 -0400

TSGT: That is a great question. I have two examples. First, I knew a lieutenant on the California Highway Patrol. He was a former Marine lieutenant and had a break of service for about 25 or so years. After 9/11 he wanted to serve again. He applied for a Marine commission but it was taking a long time so he went into a USAFR engineer unit as a SSG. The commission finally came through, he accepted it, and he served as an adjutant in a USMCR unit that deployed to Iraq. We were there at the same time. Coincidentally, the commander of that unit was a local and friend (another great Marine). He was reportedly the oldest 1LT in the USMC or USMCR. Secondly, when I was a 2LT in the CARNG (Platoon Leader) we had a highly-decorated Marine veteran of the Korean War join. He joined us as a buck sergeant after about a 20+ year break. He was much older than most but he was a walking tactical manual and he was a great warrior and leader. He probably forgot more than I knew. My Marine buddy on the CHP later made chief on the CHP and he eventually made major in the USMCR. He was later the commander of the unit one of my grandsons served in with the USMCR. Old warriors sometimes have a lot to offer the service. Thank you for your service TSGT! COL L

Response by TSgt Private RallyPoint Member made May 25 at 2020 12:31 AM

TSgt Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 25 May 2020 00:31:10 -0400

I was discharged in July 1982 and reenlisted January 2003. 20 years 6 months 14 days break in service. Retired January 2019.

Response by SMSgt Lawrence McCarter made May 27 at 2020 4:43 AM

SMSgt Lawrence McCarter — Wed, 27 May 2020 04:43:14 -0400

I had a break of 8 years from 1974 after serving 8 years and started again in 1981 for a total of 22 years.

Response by LTC Trent Klug made May 27 at 2020 10:48 AM

LTC Trent Klug — Wed, 27 May 2020 10:48:05 -0400

Back in 1996, I met a gray haired old specialist who was just a few months from getting his twenty year letter and hitting age sixty. He went to basic training in 1956 or 57. He got out in the late 50s or early 60s and came back sometime in the early 80s.

Did I mention he was carrying a mortar plate when I met him?

Response by 1SG Steven Imerman made May 28 at 2020 5:16 AM

1SG Steven Imerman — Thu, 28 May 2020 05:16:54 -0400

Fighting Joe Wheeler resigned from the US Army in early 1861, and in January 1898 he resigned his seat in congress to become a Maj. Gen of volunteers for the Cuba campaign (the Rough Riders were in his division). During his 37 year break in service he achieved the rank of Lt. Gen. in the CSA army.

Response by TSgt George Rodriguez made May 28 at 2020 2:15 PM

TSgt George Rodriguez — Thu, 28 May 2020 14:15:12 -0400

I was 10 days short of 4 years when i went back in. They gave me my old rank back and counted my inactive reserve time for my pay. Instead of receiving pay for 4 years i received pay for 6 years when I went back in.

Response by SSG Gordon Holmes made May 28 at 2020 9:58 PM

SSG Gordon Holmes — Thu, 28 May 2020 21:58:37 -0400

I got out of the Army Reserves IRR in May 1991 and enlisted in the Army Guard in August 2005.

Response by CW3 Kevin Storm made May 28 at 2020 11:17 PM

CW3 Kevin Storm — Thu, 28 May 2020 23:17:36 -0400

I worked with a Vietnam Vet who had been SF in Vietnam, he rose in the SF world to make Major. He was put out as he did not have a college degree around 71 or 72 (memory is slipping). He came back in during the Reagan Administration under a program to bring veterans. He ended up coming back in in 1981, went back to basic as an E-2. Now some of you may say Kevin, this a war story, it would be except for three things: A. I was the S-2 Clerk and got to see his Clearance for his next duty assignment, his waiver for reentry was signed off by the Secretary of the Army. 2. When the SF Recruiting team would come to town, they would stop by and visit George, and none of them ever called him Sergeant (his rank at that time). They all had a lot of reverence for him, as he had been their team leader so many years ago. The last thing that was really interesting, he got both an NCOER, and OER as he was still officially a reserve officer, the only person in the unit who could do his OER was the BN commander. That is the longest I ever heard of.

Response by SSG Lasker Bell made May 29 at 2020 10:19 AM

SSG Lasker Bell — Fri, 29 May 2020 10:19:51 -0400

I did 3 years regular army in 76-79 7 years nation guards 79-86 army reserves 86-89 got out and stayed out until 98 (reenlisted into the national guard) (42 yrs old ) 98-2010 (ets) with 2 mobilizations(all honorable discharges)