Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!uwm.edu!cs.utexas.edu!tut.cis.ohio-state.edu!att!cbnews!military From: cashman@acsu.buffalo.edu (geoffrey a cashman) Newsgroups: sci.military Subject: Re: Reserve Call-Up Message-ID: <1990Aug28.030920.22051@cbnews.att.com> Date: 28 Aug 90 03:09:20 GMT References: <1990Aug22.025527.16670@cbnews.att.com> Sender: military@cbnews.att.com (William B. Thacker) Organization: SUNY Buffalo Lines: 91 Approved: military@att.att.com From: cashman@acsu.buffalo.edu (geoffrey a cashman) (I am currently a United States Navy Reservist and have been such for the last six years. I am an enlisted member attached to a unit known as ACU-2 (assault craft unit 2) stationed in Buffalo, NY. I don't know everything there is to know about Reserves, but I do feel somewhat qualified to respond to this post... . . .) In article <1990Aug22.025527.16670@cbnews.att.com> wmartin@STL-06SIMA.ARMY.MIL (Will Martin) writes: >Just what are the mechanics and procedures for a call-up of Reserves in >the US? Is Presidential authority required for any such actions, or can >the services do it on their own as they see fit, or is there some >lead-time notification of Congressional oversight committees required, >or what? The President has the authority to call up Reserve and National Guard personel without congressional approval. S/he may call individuals for 90 days of service, which can be extended another 90 with his/her approval. >Does this vary with the extent of the call-up, and can such a >call-up be as limited or as general as the services wish, or do they >have to comply with restrictions? That is, can a single individual, or >a small group, be called up, or does an entire unit have to be called up >at once? If the latter, how small or big is a "unit"? Both cases are true. Specific individuals in units may be called up, or entire units may be called up. Generally speaking, it's usually units that are called up. "Unit" is a *very* broad term. I've seen it represent anywhere from ten to over a hundred people. I imagine that this number is far greater in Army/Marine reserves. >I would think that there would be many similar units in the Reserves >scattered throughout the states. How is it decided which particular >unit(s) are called up? Are they all ranked by readiness and equipment >availability, so the ones at the top of the list are called first, or >is it just a political issue? ("Ohio voted Democrat in the last >Presidential election, so call up all the Ohio units first." or >something like that? :-) Units in the Naval Reserve are ranked according to readiness. Individual members are ranked on what is known as an "IRAD" scale. If you are a "10" you are fully prepared to be called up. Seven or higher is acceptable. Units are ranked based on members IRADs and other factors. Obviously, if a unit is below satisfactory, it is less likely to be called up. However, the main factor in the decision (keep in mind, I am an enlisted member, not an officer...I am not privy to all the aspects of this decision) is what needs the Pentagon feels it needs to fill. If it feels that it needs additional assault craft personel, then it would probably call up my unit. Not because it is necessarily 100% ready to go, but because it is trained to handle the job. Politics in the issue do not come in to play so far as I am aware. (If they did, I would be disgusted) >Are given Reserve units "affiliated" with specific Regular Army units, >so that they will always be called upon to serve with the same force >(sort of like a baseball team's "farm clubs" maybe), or are they just >a general resource pool and don't know what command they'll be assigned >to when they are called up? Or do the Reserves form their own >organizations from the bottom to the top, so that they become a >completely-Reserve fighting/serving unit? > >Does this vary between services, or do the Army, USAF, USN, and USMC >Reserves all function the same way? If not, who does what differently? I can not comment on any other than Naval Reserves. However, in the Naval Reserves, specific units almost always have "gaining commands" which is essentially the active duty portion of the unit in question. I was formerly assigned to NR DD-977 USS Briscoe unit. Were I called up, I would have (ostensibly) gone to the USS Briscoe, for which I was specifically trained. The same holds true for the unit I am now in, ACU-2. Were I called up I would probably be part of the crew that would take our LCU (Landing Craft Utility) 1680 from Buffalo out to the Atlantic to be picked up by a ship. We would join with the active duty portion of ACU-2 (which is already on it's way over there). There are *some* units (very few that I am aware of) in the Naval Reserves which do not have a corresponding "gaining command" and are fully capable units in and of themselves. There is no "Naval National Guard". However, New York has what is known as the "New York Naval Militia" which you can be a member of if you are in the Naval Reserves. Reserve duty however, takes precedence over Militia needs. -- - Geoff Cashman cashman@acsu.buffalo.edu