Hi I'm new here so I think I'm allowed to ask one stupid question, so here it is... I was in the Army in 2k and 2k1, I was med-boarded out, been recieving absolutely terrible VA medical care, am currently 20% disabled, and I am wondering what the risks of me getting a letter in the mail are. I've searched the web, army.mil google ask etc-etc and found very little about IRR and recall notices. My mos was 31r (signal not commo!), I originally signed up for 4yrs, was planning Air Assault and rapid readiness (I wanted the extra $100/month), and considered airborne in the long run. After I was hurt I got a really great comfy job in the company ops office, in fact the best part about it was I was an E3 and was the 'acting' company commander twice a week when I was the only one working in the office, yeah I just loved it when an E7 had to report directly to me. I really wanted to stay in, even with the low pay and crappy benefits, I actually kinda liked the job, but nobody could find an option for me to stay, so I got fired and left.

I've been trying to find out a way to see if I am on the recall list or not, I don't want to ask the Army or recruiters directly because they want my name, ssn, and either a phone# or address. If I give them that info I think they will add me to the list if I am not currently on it. I don't want to give myself away to them but I want to know how much of a risk I am in right now. If anybody out there can offer some advice or maybe a safe way to find any info about this I would really appreciate it, I've already tried using an anonymous email address, the down side is one recruiter somehow tracked my real name down, even tho the email was a fake name and contacted me at my real email address. creepy - since I never gave them my real email or my real name...

I can't tell from your message if you don't want to be recalled or are trying to get some benefit out of it if you are?  I'm going to assume that you don't.  If that is the case, the first you'll hear about it is when you get the letter to report.  You can check your AKO for army news about MOS's that will be receiving orders to report, but that's the best you can do to my knowledge.  It is more likely that you would be placed on the Individual Warrior program in the IRR.  That would mean that you would have to report for various training events, muster, etc... as a way the Army is trying to make the IRR more effective.  Only 5,000 Soldiers are scheduled to do this in 2007 and the program is not set to go into full swing untill 2013.  Being on 20% disability you are unlikely to be called upon to do this soon.

As for contacting your career councilor, you should keep in mind that there are two different types that can contact you.  The one from Army HRC is the one that you should worry about if you want to comply with Army standards for IRR soldiers.  You must keep the HRC records up to date with info on your address, marriage/dependent status, employment status, and medical readiness.  They will contact you about once a year to update these records.  If you have any questions contact them through the phone number on their web page.  If you are recalled, this is the info the Army will use.

The other group are Army career councilors from retention.  If you haven't already, you will be receiving letters from about 40 of them saying you need to contact them about updating your records (apparently they don't have compatible computer systems).  Regulations say you need to respond to all Army correspondence, so do so if you want.  All these people will be asking the same questions and trying to get you to join a Training unit or go into the Reserves or National Guard.  Keep in mind that that's there job and they are evaluated in part by how many people they talk with. 

In my experience these people are very shady.  They lie about info you need to give them (i.e. your ssn, educational experience, responsibilities as an IRR Soldier, ect...)  So you know, as an IRR Soldier you are responsible to show up for muster if called, and keep HRC informed about the things I talked about above so they can know if you are deployable and where to reach you. 

Don't get me wrong.  I'm not saying to disregard the retention career councilors.  I'm just saying that you should know your rights as an IRR Soldier.  Specifically that you are not subject to the UCMJ unless you are activated to AD or called to muster.  Therefor, if you are told to drive an hour out of your way to meet one of them at their office or one tries to pull rank on you saying you are a stupid PFC (or SSG in my case) feel free to call them on it.

If I am wrong, and you want to reenlist, I would say that your best bet would be to contact one of these retention people and ask about any waivers available for your circumstances.  Not knowing your situation, I am surprised that you would be barred from reenlistment for a 20% disability...but I don't know what disability you have. 

First off, I am a recalled soldier that had a tour in Iraq under the belt with the 101st.  I got that horrible letter a year and a half after I got out in 2004.  I personally know that you can be recalled a) if you were med-boarded out, b) already knocked out your 8 years of mandatory service ( though you can get out of it through making the big Army see it's mistake ), c) a retired officer, d) have been chaptered out under less than honorable circumstances.  They actually called a guy back that had been shot multiple times in the lower legs in Afghanistan, and could barley walk right.  I doubt there is any way to find out if your name is on the list, and I don't see any recruiter trying to give you a heads up about it unless you are very good friends.  I was trying to sign up for the reserves and change my MOS from 11B to a 91W, got the contract signed and even went down to my TPU armory.  Yet because my IRR orders were cut the EXACT same day I signed the reserve contract, the IRR orders took precedence.  I mean if that isn't an indication of either the stars and planets being aligned against me, or some recruiter that dimed my name out to the IRR, I don't know what is. 

Second, the whole IRR system is broke.  Soon when I don't have to worry about what I say, I will go into great depths of my experience.  After I was recalled to Ft. Benning, GA, some reserve drill sergeant tried to tell me I wasn't a soldier and could say "HOOAH".  However gay that seems, I was in Pathfinder Co. 6-101 at Campbell.  Air Assault, Airborne, Pathfinder, EIB, and a CIB, and to have some douche bag tell me that I wasn't a soldier is unnerving to say the very, very least.  Not to mention all the crap the fed us about only being in Iraq for 365 days, I am currently at month 14.  And the biggest kick in the nuts is that I was sent with a National Guard unit, which at a soldier level is not really that bad at all.  However at some staff levels, things are broke way beyond repair.      

Good post there. You seem knowledgeable so I thought I would run some stuff by you for advice. I have 2 years left on my contract. I am currently in the IRR. I was one of the ones summoned to the muster which I completed yesterday. The career counselor told us our options etc. One that caught my eye was that if as an IRR soldier we agreed to join a TPU (reserve unit), they would guarentee 24 months of stabalization. This came from the pentagon as as incentive. There would be no new contract, I was just serve my remaining time in theTPU unit until my obligation was complete( since I only have 2 yrs left it works out well). I have no desire to be involved with the army, but I fear a recall that would prevent me from finishing college. In my mind this would give me a little cash, but more importantly prevent another tour of Iraq and leave me with no obligation to the army. I am skeptical of the army, I have a lot of follow up questions to ask the guy, but I am thinking about it. Other views are appreciated.