Anyone know of an update to regulation that requires a soldier on ADOS orders to REFRAD to accept a promotion?

SSG Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 18 Apr 2016 02:48:00 -0400

Info: Situations regarding TPU (army reserve soldiers) that have applied for and been selected for a Tour of Duty (active service for 180+ days for operational support) either via MOBCOP or PFI (personnel force innovation)
These soldiers are filling much needed manpower shortages, supporting mission success. Most of the orders are ADOS orders under title 10, provision 12301 (d). These locations can be CONUS or OCONUS, including hostile regions. Soldiers can chose to extend up to 1095 days.
Problem/Questions: it seems like these soldiers (depending on their home unit) can forget about career progression if they volunteer for these positions. one unit has finally issued promotion orders that are well overdue, but added that the soldier must REFRAD to accept the promotion. Keep in mind the unit or agency this soldier is activated to has paid for the PCS move and planned funds and manpower accordingly. the other situation is a unit has completely changed the Promotion Packet Composition, Elections and Preference Sheet to include the requirement of REFRAD w/in 90 days if selected for promotion.
How can you be encouraged to volunteer yet be punished from career progression by doing so?

Response by CW3 Dylan E. Raymond, PHR made Apr 18 at 2016 3:00 AM

CW3 Dylan E. Raymond, PHR — Mon, 18 Apr 2016 03:00:39 -0400

If you are a reservist and you mobilize you are taking up a slot in your home unit. You can be gone up to 1095 days 3 years. The challenge is that when you deploy you are going to be under the supervision of the unit you are mobilized with. So you are out of sight and in order to get promoted you are trying to get promoted in a slot in your unit and you may not have been there for 3 years. However someone that is still drilling with the unit make get the promotion. It is a balancing act and the Soldier has to take responsibility for his or her career and cant put all the owness or the unit.

I used to be a mobilization officer so I saw it all the time where a person was gone 7-8 years and was taking up a look in the home unit. So I think the unit is doing the right thing by letting the Soldier Mob for the 1095 but what is the Soldier doing in return? Just something to think about.

Response by SFC Terri Will made Apr 18 at 2016 5:42 AM

SFC Terri Will — Mon, 18 Apr 2016 05:42:41 -0400

Problem is that they are promoted into valid slots not in the unit they are on orders with. The unit they are promoted into is now short that NCO/Officer and still required to take care of that Soldier administratively as well as training. I had a Soldier like this that was promoted into my unit, with no intention of coming, but I was required to use one of my school seats to send her to school and wouldn't do any of the required things I needed from her (APFT, etc); also, we were required to produce an OER for her but had never met her. Then she volunteered for another tour. Too bad these soldiers can't get promoted into the units they're serving with, instead of the needs of the Reserves with the regular TPUs.

Response by Capt Tom Brown made Apr 18 at 2016 7:54 AM

Capt Tom Brown — Mon, 18 Apr 2016 07:54:12 -0400

SSG Private RallyPoint Member Sounds like a real catch-22 for everyone the services have been dealing with for a number of years. Hate to be stuck in that position as a individual or unit.

Response by SGM Erik Marquez made Apr 18 at 2016 8:59 AM

SGM Erik Marquez — Mon, 18 Apr 2016 08:59:48 -0400

1st
I think it is short sighted look at this from the individual SMperspective.
Does the unit commander to which that SM is assigned not have a DUTY to fill the ranks with soldiers that actually are physically in the unit? Should that commander not do what is allowed within the current regs to accomplish that mission?
As an individual IN THAT UNIT with the absent SM taking up a slot.. would you be ok with doing more with less, being absent that SM, that leader in YOUR unit for years at a time ?
2nd
None of this is new... I was dealing with providing NCOERs and promotion recommendations to reserve units for activated reserve SM working for me for years now... 1st time was 2000...and Id bet it goes back farther than that.. What Im implying is... this issue and circumstance the SM put them self in should not be a surprise.
3rd and last
Is it "fair" ? I guess that depends on what your looking for to answer that question.
It likely will be "unfair" to someone on one side or another no matter what. The SM that volunteered ...meaning they excepted all the nuances that go along with the vountiersiem. Or the unit that is missing a SM, used a school, promotion slot for them and never benefits from that SM.
Personally id prefer to see the SM "PCS" not just in body but in assignment as well. not being on the inside at the CORP and higher levels of a reserve program I have no doubt there is a reason they do not do that. One likely thing is, the volunteering to go active in another unit is not supposed to be a permanent deal.. hence the temporary things done why the SM is gone..that are in effect "Unfair"

Response by MSG Brad Sand made Apr 18 at 2016 11:19 AM

MSG Brad Sand — Mon, 18 Apr 2016 11:19:55 -0400

'How can you be encouraged to volunteer yet be punished from career progression by doing so?' Did you forget who you were working for?

The soldier is not activated, but on orders...slight difference but is important. The unit with promotion responsibility should be properly processing these packets (not saying they are but they should be). Everything can be waived, if needed, or can be worked around.

Response by CSM David Heidke made Apr 18 at 2016 12:15 PM

CSM David Heidke — Mon, 18 Apr 2016 12:15:49 -0400

I wouldn't be surprised if the regulation were different when regarding officers. They often get promoted in place while they are selected for another position.

I had to leave Afghanistan two months early in order to take my CSM position because I had 120 days (more than the 90 because I was in Afghanistan).

I don't have a problem with the requirement, but I think it should apply evenly across the service and not penalize enlisted while making exceptions for officers.

Response by SGM Private RallyPoint Member made Nov 22 at 2018 4:05 AM

SGM Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 22 Nov 2018 04:05:03 -0500

Technically, while on ADOS, you still belong to your home station Reserve unit. They can put any condition they want on your ADOS tour. The deal I had to make with my Commander for him to sign the paperwork and get the State to sign as well, was (a) I still had to drill with my home unit (unless I was overseas) (b) I still had to attend AT, & (c) If a deployment came up, I had to report back to home unit to mobilize with them. As for promotions, it falls back on your home unit. They may have an internal policy that leadership can't be away from the unit. You could potentially work with them, but they need options to get to "yes".