May 17,
2008: The U.S. Marine Corps has 60,000 IRR (Individual Ready Reserve) troops
that are being used to deal with shortages in some key skill areas. The marines
have been calling up about a thousand IRR troops a year, about half every six
months.
The IRR
activations are to deal with a growing problem, as too many people the marines
need most, do not re-enlist. So the U.S. Marines are using the IRR to obtain key support positions for units
headed to a combat zone. The marines
typically seek to fill support jobs in intelligence, maintenance,
communications and various other skills. These marines are activated for twelve
months (seven months overseas, with the rest of the time for training).
Most people
in the IRR are there for four years, to finish out the eight year obligation
incurred when they enlisted (usually for four years of active duty.) The IRR
has existed for nearly half a century, and had never really been used until
this century. The current situation appears to be exactly what the IRR was
designed for, and the army and marines are using it a lot. In theory, the army
and marines could make everyone who enlisted, serve eight years (instead of the
usual 3-6 years.) This is unlikely, as there are limits on how many reservists
the president can call up without a formal declaration of war. Moreover, not
all of the 15-20 thousand marines discharged each year (about two-thirds have
been in combat) have skills that are needed to fill emergency needs. One thing
is for certain, troops, including those recently discharged, are now much more
aware of what the IRR is.
Many of
those who get an IRR call-up notice are not able to go. They have health or
other personal situations that make them unable to deploy. Last year, 1,800
recently discharged marines received IRR call up notices. But only about 47
percent actually went. That's the way it
is with the IRR.
