Posted on Nov 7, 2019
CPL Lance Storm
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I enlisted with a 4 x 4 contract with active duty, and completed my active obligation with an honorable discharge in 2018. A year goes by a 79V comes to me and offers me to do the "Try One" program. She assures me that if I do not like it I can just switch back to IRR, no questions asked since all it took was a 4187 to put me in. Long story short, I want to go back to the IRR because of personal, financial reasons but the unit is telling me that I "may or may not be able to go back" depending on the brigade or command. What the hell? Did I get scammed or something? I've been looking up regulations and I've yet to find anything on this program except for the fact that it is on the Army Reserves website but the details are very vague. It doesn't seem fair that the Army has this program to trick IRR Soldiers into the USAR and locks them in at the commander's discretion. The only reason I signed the 4187 because it's a "trial program" and I was told if I didn't like it, then I could go back. What are my options here?
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Responses: 7
SGM G3 Sergeant Major
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A recruiter told you you could do what you want "no questions asked"...
And you bought that, with 4 years of previous military experience.
The "trial program" is the whole 12 month "Try One". You "try it" for the whole one year.
The approval authority for your transfer back to the IRR is the first two-star in your chain of command, and your BN and BDE commanders get to recommend or non-recommend.
And that process takes about 4-6 months when everyone is going to bat for you.
Do your drills and ETS. Or go to your BC with a well-worded MFR that details exactly how staying in a drilling status puts undue financial strain on you and your family, and start the long separation process that might beat your ETS by 3 months.
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CPL Lance Storm
CPL Lance Storm
>1 y
You're right I should've known better than to trust them. With that being said I appreciate the info SGM. I'll request an open door policy with the commander/1SG.
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SFC Retention Operations Nco
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You're recruiter didn't lie, you can go back to the IRR once you finish your year. The whole purpose of the year is to see if you like it. It's not a trick, you weren't locked in at the Commanders discretion, you signed a DD4 that clearly stated you were enlisting for a year.
Just knock out the drills and go back into the IRR.
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CPL Lance Storm
CPL Lance Storm
>1 y
I didn't sign a DD-4. All i signed was a 4187. Only DD-4 I signed was my initial contract stating I was obligated to serve 4 years and 21 weeks of active service and 0 years and 0 months of reserve time,
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SFC Retention Operations Nco
SFC (Join to see)
>1 y
CPL Lance Storm fair enough, but did it say the word "year" or "12 months" on it? If so, the point still stands. It's a program to try one year.
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CPL Lance Storm
CPL Lance Storm
>1 y
It doesn't say either. The only thing it has is my unit and which slot i'm assigned to on the MTOE. I have no paperwork showing i'm in a "1 year status" which is my main issue.
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CPL Gary Pifer
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PS: be lucky you're in... one day the gate closes... Then you'll be on the outside looking in.
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SFC Arcc (Army Reserve Career Counselor)
SFC (Join to see)
4 y
CPL Pifer are you in the IRR and what to comeback?
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