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United States Navy Reserve
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The United States Navy Reserve (USNR), until 2005 known as the United States Naval Reserve, is the reserve component of the United States Navy. Members of the USNR, called reservists, are enrolled in the Ready Reserve, Standby Reserve, or Retired Reserve program.
Reservists are called into active duty, or mobilized, as needed and are required to sign paperwork acknowledging this possibility upon enrollment in the reserve program.
After the 11 September attacks, Reservists have been mobilized.
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Encyclopedia
The United States Navy Reserve (USNR), until 2005 known as the United States Naval Reserve, is the reserve component of the United States Navy. Members of the USNR, called reservists, are enrolled in the Ready Reserve, Standby Reserve, or Retired Reserve program.
Reservists are called into active duty, or mobilized, as needed and are required to sign paperwork acknowledging this possibility upon enrollment in the reserve program.
After the 11 September attacks, Reservists have been mobilized. The Global War On Terror has even seen the activation of a USNR squadron, VFA-201, an F/A-18 Hornet squadron, which deployed onboard the USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN-71).
The Navy (Ready?) Reserve consists of approximately 80,000 officers and enlisted personnel who serve in every state and territory as well as overseas.
History
The current concept of the United States Navy Reserve did not originate as a Federal force. In fact, today's Navy Reserve is an off-shoot of the National Guard. It originated from the National Guard concept of a volunteer Militia, formed into companies, and created by citizen-soldiers of the States, who had an affinity for the sea.
The concept of a volunteer Militia unit was confirmed in the Uniform Militia Act of 1792, to be formed of volunteers from the Militia at large and to be uniformed and equipped at the individual volunteer's expense. At this time, it was a corps of "citizen" soldiers who enjoyed military exercise and who were willing to sacrifice both the time and the money necessary to enjoy it.
The need for a Naval Reserve was first recognized by Naval leaders prior to the War of 1812. A Bill providing for such a Reserve organization was introduced in Congress during Jefferson's period in office but it failed to pass. During the War of 1812, there were many more men ready to go to sea then there were ships to put them on. Thus the ships of the small U.S. Navy of 1812 competed only with the American privateers in recruiting seasoned seagoing personnel.
Beginning in the 1870s, two events set the stage for the formation of the Naval Militia. The first was the Federal government's act to increase the efficiency of the National Guard with the passage of Secretary of War William C. Endicott's act of 12 February 1887. This act doubled the annual appropriations to the National Guard. This act inspired many younger officers to call for a more modern navy. This movement saw the creation of the Naval War College and the formation of the Naval Institute in 1873, which further promoted the "advancement of professional and scientific knowledge in the Navy."
By November 1918, the end of World War I, approximately 20,000 officers and 280,000 enlisted members would be designated as Reservists serving alongside 230,000 active-duty Regular Navy personnel at sea and ashore. What was to follow with the passage of the Naval Act of 1920, which in effect superseded the Naval Militias by the formation of the Naval and Marine Corps Reserves. The entire structure was completely reorganized in the Naval Reserve Act of 1938.
On 28 January 1968, several Naval Air Reserve squadrons were activated by President Lyndon B. Johnson after the seizure of the intelligence ship U.S.S. Pueblo in North Korean waters. These units were the only Navy Reservists activated during the Vietnamese War period. One of these squadrons, brought on active duty from the U.S. Naval Air Station New York, located in New York City at Floyd Bennett Field, VA-831 was attached to Carrier Wing One and the aircraft carrier U.S.S. John F. Kennedy.
After 11 September 2001, Navy Reservists were called up in large numbers. Many did not know for how long they were going to be called up for, but typically they were demobilized after one year or earlier. Many reservists volunteered for an additional year.
On 29 April 2005, in accordance with Section 517 of the Ronald W. Reagan National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2005 (Public Law 108-375),
President George W. Bush approved the renaming of the United States Naval Reserve as the United States Navy Reserve.
Entry and service
Persons who enlist in the Active Duty program first sign a contract to enter the Ready Reserve for a period of time that coincides with time served as Active Duty. Upon separation from Active Duty, members may still be obligated by their reserve contract if it has not expired. The remainder of the contract may be served as a member of the Selected Reserve or the Individual Ready Reserve.
Prior service enlistees may be able to affiliate with the Navy Reserve in their active duty rating (job specialty) and paygrade.
Non-prior service enlistees are sent to Initial Active Duty Training (IADT), also called boot camp, located at Naval Station Great Lakes in Illinois (same location as Active Duty training) and qualify for a specific billet (job) in order to make their rate permanent. Very few ratings are available to non-prior service personnel. Based upon their skill sets, members will enter into service at paygrades E1 through E5. Although non-prior service recruits are paid from their first day at the advanced pay grade, they are not entitled to wear the insignia signifying their rank until they successfully complete boot camp. After graduating from boot camp, the reservist usually trains at a Navy Operational Support Center (NOSC) again to complete the final "Phase IV" requirements. After that, he or she is sent to a reserve unit.
For those in aviation specialties, members are encouraged to drill at Naval Air Reserve facilities, where reserve squadrons are established to utilize their skills.
Typically, the Reservist is required to drill one weekend every month and spend a consecutive two-week period every year at a regular Navy base or on board a ship. While training either for just a weekend or during the two weeks, the reservist is on active duty and the full spectrum of rules and regulations, including the Uniform Code of Military Justice, apply.
Midshipmen in NROTC are considered to be members of the Navy Reserve though they can not be deployed on active duty except during summer training cruises. During these cruises they receive active duty pay.
Differences between Regular Active Duty Navy and Navy Reserve benefits
- Regular Navy receive full medical benefits upon retirement via TRICARE for Life. Navy Reserve receive TRICARE benefits from age 60.
- Regular Navy Retirees receive Veterans Preference under US Code, Title 10. Retired NAVY Reservists only qualify for Veterans Preference if mobilized under US Code, Title 10 or completed more than 180 days of continuous active duty. The NAVY Reserve, as with other DoD reserve components typically write orders for 179 days or less to circumvent this benefit.
- Regular Navy (as with any U.S. Government Federal employee) are paid for all expenses associated with Permanent Change of Station (PCS). (Typically family move and personal belongings, storage and personal vehicle shipment) Reservists on Active Duty for Special Work (ADSW) and not mobilized under US Code Title 10 are not. Typically, orders for reservists are written as PCS, which results in substantial savings to the government over Active Duty per diem.
- Regular Navy are paid per diem (Also a standard for Federal Employees) for all Travel away from their home of record. Reservists are routinely issued travel orders that do not pay per diem. Additionally, travel days for Annual Training are only paid partial per diem and are not paid any salary as active duty days or accrue retirement points. A retiree will typically perform a minimum of 40 days of unpaid travel in their career.
- Regular Navy retirees (at least the last 8 years of at least 20 years of service must be active duty) receive retired pay immediately upon retirement. Retirees from the reserves must wait until their 60th birthday.
- Regular Navy, Reservists on Active duty or Mobilized (US Code, Title 10) Reserve personnel receive 30 days of paid leave each year. (Unlike civilian vacation days, every day during leave is chargeable. So, this amounts to about 4 weeks vacation time.) Drilling reservists receive no paid leave, regardless of cumulative active duty for training. A reservist who qualifies for retirement at 20 years and performs the minimum Annual Active duty for training AT (240 career days) would earn 23 leave days. A typical retired reservist accrues substantially more Active duty for training (ADT) and Annual Active Duty for Training (AT) than this example.
- Regular Navy are allocated house hunting leave (days off to move, and resolve personal needs associated with the orders) for PCS, reservists are not.
- Regular Navy enlisted personnel generally sign-on for an eight year contract that includes four years on active duty (ACDU) in the regular navy and the remainder in the Navy Reserve (typically with only 1-day of required duty per year). Reservist enlistees are usually required to have an eight-year contract, with six years in the selective reserve (drilling), and two years without a drilling requirement, unless they have prior military service which then allows for two, four or six year contracts.
- Regular Navy are expected to buy their own uniform replacements (uniform allowances, however, are provided for). Reservists not on active duty (ACDU) have uniform replacements free of charge available at certain intervals, based on the expected wear of the item. (Exception: Officers buy their own uniforms, both Regular Navy and Reserve.)
- If Active duty personnel want to get college tuition (college degrees are required for advancement in certain pay grades), part of their pay is taken and matched. Depending on if the individual paid an extra "kicker" the monthly pay varies. Typically pay is around $1000 a month for a full time student. Reservists receive their full pay plus tuition at a far lesser rate. Currently the reserve GI Bill pay is approximately $300 a month for a full time student. Active duty Tuition Assistance (TA) can pay up to 100% of the costs plus other benefits and time off work to attend classes.
- Reserve retirees will typically perform over two months of unpaid salary or more in a career. NAVY active duty and Federal employees are paid for every single day of work.
Acronyms
The following acronyms were in use during World War II:
- USNR -- U.S. Naval Reserve
- USNRF -- U.S. Naval Reserve Forces
- USNR O -- U.S. Organized Naval Reserve
- USNR O1 -- U.S. Organized Naval Reserve Seagoing
- USNR O2 -- U.S. Organized Naval Reserve Aviation
- USNR SV -- U.S. Naval Reserve, Selective Volunteer
- USNR V -- U.S. Volunteer Naval Reserve
In the post-Korean War conflict era, the following acronym was used for Naval Air Reserve Units which were not mobilized on active duty:
- USNR R -- U.S. Naval Reserve-Ready
Presently, the following acronym is used for Naval Air Reserve Units:
- NAVAIRES - U.S. Naval Air Reserve
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