Posted on Apr 11, 2019
What is the longest break in service that you ever heard of?
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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.
Posted in these groups: 
Military service
Prior Service
Military service Prior Service
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 24
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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.
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.
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COL Jon Lopey
MAJ: I knew some WW II veterans that served until the 80's in the CARNG. I also knew Marines during the Viet Nam Era that were WW II, Korean War, and Viet Nam veterans. In 1982 I was at Camp San Luis Obispo as a platoon leader (2LT) when I ran into a CARNG CWO who had a 32nd "Red Arrow" ID combat patch. My uncle was KIA in the same division in the Philippines during WW II. This guy had well over 40-years in the service. He was in the PI when my uncle was killed but he was in the artillery and my uncle was infantry. When I was in Iraq in 2009-10, there was a CWO pilot still serving who flew in Viet Nam. Great comments. Thanks for your service! COL L
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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.
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CW3 Harvey K.
The way I remember it, the formula was (age - years of service = 35 or less) for re-enlistment. That was to permit an EM getting 20 years in for retirement, before mandatory retirement at age 55. If over 35 in that calculation, the individual had to sign a waiver stating he was aware that he would not be able to obtain a pension for his service.
What it was for officers, who could serve till age 60, I never heard.
P S -- At one time, Warrants and General Officers shared the honor of being subject to recall to active duty from the retired category up to age 65.
What it was for officers, who could serve till age 60, I never heard.
P S -- At one time, Warrants and General Officers shared the honor of being subject to recall to active duty from the retired category up to age 65.
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TSgt Carl Johnson
When I reenlisted they said as long as you could get twenty in before your sixtieth birthday you were good to go.
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I have worked with three people in the Army National Guard that had breaks between 14 and 20 years.
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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)
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TSgt Carl Johnson
Thanks for your service, brother. Feels weird goig back in after all those years, doesn't it?
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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.
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I got out of the Army Reserves IRR in May 1991 and enlisted in the Army Guard in August 2005.
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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.
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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?
Did I mention he was carrying a mortar plate when I met him?
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COL Jon Lopey
LTC: I saw some similar examples while in the CARNG. I remember a lot of "old timers" in the Marines during the Viet Nam Era. There was a time in the Marines and Army when you could stay in for years and still hold lower ranks but that changed as you know with the "up or out" concept. Thanks for the interesting contribution to this question. COL L
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I was discharged in July 1982 and reenlisted January 2003. 20 years 6 months 14 days break in service. Retired January 2019.
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