Is it possible to "make up" an Army Reserve drill weekend?

Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 11 Sep 2020 13:40:27 -0400

Hello all,
I am working with a recruiter to join the Army reserves. In the Army reserves, are you ever allowed miss a drill weekend and "make it up" another weekend? I'm trying to get a feel for the reality of being in the reserves since I'm coming from the private sector. Thank you.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Sep 11 at 2020 1:58 PM

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 11 Sep 2020 13:58:47 -0400

It’s pretty common in fact. I wouldn’t make a habit of it though, you’ll fall behind in personal development and create a weak link in your unit. Different commanders have different policies on what is and isn’t an acceptable reason.

Response by SSG Carlos Madden made Sep 11 at 2020 1:59 PM

SSG Carlos Madden — Fri, 11 Sep 2020 13:59:46 -0400

Yes but you have to work that out with your unit and leadership. It's really up to them how they want to handle this. Some units are very flexible and others are not - depends on the 1SG and CO.

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Sep 11 at 2020 2:47 PM

SSG Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 11 Sep 2020 14:47:39 -0400

Yes if you clear it with your command ahead of time you can RST a drill, the key is to let them know and see if they will approve it and will they have work for you. My old unit would ask your section leader or PLT sgt to provide sometime for the time slotted.

Response by CPT Private RallyPoint Member made Sep 11 at 2020 3:07 PM

CPT Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 11 Sep 2020 15:07:29 -0400

Yes, and as a technicality you only have 60 days prior, and 60 days after to make it up from the date of the missed drill weekend. So you can plan ahead or catch up with a 120 day window.

That said, in the USAR there are many days that are not at the discretion of the company commander to excuse. You can't miss a mass medical event (unit wide medical check ups), there are 2 of those a year. You can't miss a range weekend that's another one (tally 3), you can't miss a record fitness test weekend (there are two of those, tally 5), and you can't miss annual training (tally 6-7 or 8 depending on timing and annual training duration).

So really, there are about 4-5 months (depending on unit) where a company commander has the ability to grant you an RST or excused absence without having to take it to higher (if it goes above the company level it simply wont be approved in time, ).

That said......... don't fret....... It is entirely possible to simply miss a battle assembly, take an Unsatisfactory mark for an absence and still move forward in your career as if nothing has happened. If you are the rank of E4 and below you wont get an annual evaluation. So only the rolling 12 month attendance tracker is going to have the data. Yes, the absence could be documented in a counseling statement, but those aren't permanent. It's just a documentation of the absence.

If your commander is understanding about the absence (say you are in grad school, have a weekend final, but it is in conflict with a Mass Medical Event so you decide to take it on the chin) and you are an NCO or an Officer that absence probably wont be documented in your annual performance review. You will get a "U" mark, and no one care enough to audit the mass medical event attendance against the company level sign in roster.

*****
Now there is the risk you get a up tight chain of command, or up tight higher level of command that makes things impossible to navigate your civilian obligations with. Again, don't fret..... learn the game, navigate the system, and find a unit to transfer into where there is give and take.

For me, when I was in command, as long as my readiness metrics was in check, and I could meet my Annual Training mission I didn't care one way or another if a soldier missed something else.

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You can find yourself in the Reserves with a unit that is constant bombardment of taskers, orders, and mission needs that conflict with civilian obligations at every turn. Or you could find yourself in a unit where they just meet the minimum drilling and annual training days, and the communication and approval distance between a E1 and a Full COL is only 1 or 2 levels.

Response by SGM Private RallyPoint Member made Sep 11 at 2020 9:29 PM

SGM Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 11 Sep 2020 21:29:30 -0400

Yes, but not on another weekend. The AGRs in the unit do not work every weekend, just drill weekend, other than drill weekends, the unit is closed on weekends.
RST (rescheduled training) is making up the drill prior to or after the drill, within a 90 day window of the scheduled drill.
You can request to come in on weekdays prior to or after drill, or request to drill with another unit on the same or different weekend of your unit's drill.
You can also request an authorized absence for the drill without making it up.
Only the unit commander has the authority to authorize an RST or absence, the authority cannot be delegated.
If the approval does not have the commander's signature, it's not approved.
Ideally you make this request as soon as possible, even if that means 9 months out, and no less than 2 weeks prior to drill.
Do not expect approval for missing something mandatory like individual weapons qual.

Response by 1SG Private RallyPoint Member made Sep 11 at 2020 10:43 PM

1SG Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 11 Sep 2020 22:43:42 -0400

Yes. It is often a situation where work needs clash with military needs. If the nature of the military work is such that it can be done at another time then almost every command will approve the make up, as long as a work plan has been developed by the Soldier's immediate leadership. Situations like Weapons Qualification, Medical Readiness and (3 or 4 day) "weekend" field training exercises may not get approved and will require more specific reasons (then can be answered here) for the commander to approve it.