After receiving a tip about an explosively formed projectile-making operation in a Kamaliyah bakery at approximately 2 p.m., Soldiers from 4th Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division, cordoned off the suspected building.

Criminals attacked the Soldiers with small-arms fire but were driven off by MND-B Soldiers returning fire. Soldiers from another platoon rushed to the scene to provide additional security.

The search operation continued and the MND-B Soldiers found a cache including two explosively formed projectiles, four mortar tubes, six mortar rounds, three rocket-propelled grenade launchers, 14 RPG rounds and numerous armor piercing rounds, four sniper rifles, an RPK machine gun, various improvised explosive device making materials, three grenades, and a vehicle modified for a sniper to fire from unobserved. The vehicle also contained one of the EFPs.

MND-B soldiers keep criminals, munitions off Baghdad streets
Multi-National Division – Baghdad soldiers detained suspected special groups criminals, allegedly responsible for attacks against Iraqi Security and Coalition forces, during the early morning hours May 16.

Conducting intelligence-driven point operations against pre-identified targets, soldiers from 1st Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, detained two individuals suspected of coordinating and carrying out violent crimes in the Rashid district of southern Baghdad at approximately 2 a.m. and 5 a.m.

Nearby, Iraqi National Policemen from the 3rd Brigade, 2nd National Police Division, turned over nine 60 mm mortar rounds captured at approximately 9:30 a.m. during a security patrol in the Risalah neighborhood of West Rashid to soldiers of 4th Battalion, 64th Armor Regiment.

MND-B Soldiers detain suspected IED emplacer, weapons trafficker
Multi-National Division – Baghdad Soldiers detained a suspected criminal at approximately 2:30 a.m. May 15 in the Rashid district of southern Baghdad.

Soldiers from Company A, 1st Battalion, 22nd Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, conducted a point-specific operation to detain a suspected Special Groups criminal wanted in connection with extra-judicial killings, improvised explosive device attacks and weapons trafficking.

There have been numerous press reports indicating U.S. forces were involved in this unfortunate incident. “We want to make it clear that the U.S. was in no way involved in this attack,” said COL Jerry O’Hara, U.S. military spokesman.

The Iraq Police are investigating the incident.
MNF-I

The “Sledgehammer” brigade arrived in February 2007 as part of the surge of additional forces into Iraq. Violent crime was out of control, Grigsby said, and al-Qaida in Iraq intimidated Sunni portions of the area, allowing the terrorist group to use them as safe havens.

“In our time here, murders have declined by greater than 50 percent, from 631 in ‘06 to 253 in ‘07,” Grigsby said in a video hook-up from Baghdad. “Shop owners are selling their goods in revitalized markets, and we are now down to maybe one attack every other day.”

The heavy brigade accomplished this by conducting counterinsurgency operations. “We wanted to bloody the nose of the enemy and make them fear us,” he said. “We did bloody the nose of the enemy, and the enemy does fear us, both coalition forces and Iraqi security forces. We never forgot what a U.S. Army heavy brigade combat team is built to do: to close with and destroy the enemy.”

Brigade soldiers killed 160 enemy combatants and detained more than 500 suspected criminals. “We cleared every enemy sanctuary that existed prior to our arrival,” the colonel said.

This has not been without cost. Twenty-nine brigade soldiers have been killed, and 162 were wounded. But the level of violence went from four to five attacks per day to an average of an attack every two days.

In and around Salman Pak — a majority Sunni area — al-Qaida and other Sunni extremist groups have been decimated.

“We estimate there are three Sunni extremist groups of no more than 10 personnel per group in our battle space, disrupted and not able to synchronize operations,” Grigsby said. “We killed or captured their leaders, denied them use of safe houses and support zones, and with our ‘Sons of Iraq’ allies we are sitting in the former supply lines, holding the terrain, not letting the extremists come back in.”

The Sons of Iraq are local citizens who assist with security efforts in their neighborhoods.

Though their operations brought security to the region, the soldiers of the brigade weren’t solely about force. They worked to build relationships with the various ethnic groups, tribes and sheikhs.

“Since we worked out of eight patrol bases and four joint security sites in the middle of population centers, we never commuted to work,” Grigsby said. “When a combat patrol began each day, Sledgehammer soldiers were already among their neighbors, living with them.”

They also lived with Iraqi security forces. Grigsby said the unit worked with an outstanding Iraqi national police brigade and very capable Iraqi army units. U.S. soldiers will continue to work with local police to improve their community policing, the colonel said.

Security was the bedrock of the progress. The Americans and Iraqis gave the residents their communities back, Grigsby told reporters.

“By taking extremists and criminals off the streets in Jisr Diyala, Wahida, Salman Pak and Nahrawan, we emboldened the good people to step back into the traditional roles of leadership — leadership by the tribal leaders, leadership by local governmental officials — rather than leadership by fear, where individuals use murder [and] intimidation to control the masses,” he said.

Markets, water distribution systems, sewage treatment plants, schools and health clinics all followed. The unit even helped Iraqis build a soccer stadium. Employment also has followed. The Narwan brick factory in the region now employs 15,000 Iraqis, up from 3,000 a year ago.

Money, too, has followed. In 2007, the Iraqi government spent about $1 million in the region. In 2008, the government already has spent $86.1 million for projects and improvements.

The unit’s soldiers head back to Fort Benning, Ga., knowing they have made a difference, Grigsby said.

“We have seen a significant reduction in violence,” he said. “We have seen the economy spring back to life. We have seen the local governance structure continue to mature and progress. We most definitely have momentum, and we have made gains.”

The brigade is one of the most deployed units in the Army. It was part of the original thrust to Baghdad in 2003, was back again in 2005, and is completing its current mission now. Some 60 percent of the soldiers in the brigade are combat veterans from previous deployments. They are passing along their hard lessons to the 1st Armored Division’s 2nd Brigade Combat Team, home-based in Germany.

Grigsby said 2nd Brigade will continue the momentum his brigade began, because the gains in the region remain tenuous. To ensure stability, coalition and Iraqi forces must continue “to hunt the enemy where he sleeps, and we will continue to assist our Iraqi partners where they look to make improvements.”
DoD
By Jim Garamone
American Forces Press Service

Five C-130 Hercules transports delivered water, blankets, rations, mosquito netting and plastic sheeting yesterday. “We have to have permission every time we go in,” the official, speaking on background, said. “U.S. officials have a verbal OK to bring in five more planeloads of relief supplies today, he added.

Military planners said they want the Burmese to accept six CH-53 helicopters to speed delivery of the supplies to those hardest hit by the cyclone deep in the Irrawaddy River delta. Burma has only a handful of helicopters, and military officials doubt the nation has the capability to deliver the supplies to those most in need.

The U.S. effort currently is limited to deliveries to the international airfield at Rangoon. The Hercules airlifters land, offload the supplies and then depart, the military official said. No Americans are on the ground to assist in assessing what the cyclone victims need and how best to get the supplies to them. U.S. military airfield specialists are standing by for the OK to help the Burmese manage the supplies that are flowing in.

Cyclone Nargis hit an area with 2 million people. A Burmese government spokesman said more than 35,000 people are dead and more than 30,000 are missing. United Nations estimates said the number killed could be more than 100,000.

The U.S. military is looking at options for setting up a helicopter forward operating base outside Burma, the official said. The base ideally would put U.S. choppers within easy range to deliver supplies to the southern Irrawaddy River delta. Officials said many areas in the delta are still under water and that there are no roads to many affected towns and villages. The helicopters would allow supplies to reach those people.

In addition, the USS Essex Expeditionary Strike Group is off the coast of Burma. Clean water is the biggest need now, and the Essex group has 14,000 5-gallon water bladders ready to deliver. The ship also has pallets of other supplies the crew could deliver quickly. “The capacity on those ships is incredible,” the official said.

The U.S. ships are only part of a flotilla rushing to provide aid the Burmese government is reluctant to accept. British, French and Australian ships are converging on the area, the official said.

But delivering fresh water and other supplies is only the first piece of the relief effort the Burmese people need, the official said. As terrible as the loss of life already has been, “the disease and all the second- and third-order effects remain,” he noted.
DoD
By Jim Garamone
American Forces Press Service

Task Force Petro is a combined effort involving the Georgian forces along with the 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division, and the 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, to bring peace to Iraq and improve living conditions both on and off of COP Cleary.

The 13th Georgian Infantry Battalion’s progress as a unit has been phenomenal, said Capt. Christopher Rehnberg, from Norfolk, Conn., a member of the liason team, 2nd BCT, 1st Armd. Div.

He credits this to the 3rd BCT, 3rd Inf. Div., for their hard work with the Georgians.

“The 3rd HBCT has set a high standard for (the 2nd BCT) coming in here,” Rehnberg said. “We plan to build upon that and gain trust with the Georgians.”

Rehnberg said both forces are working together to make the Mada’in Qada a more safe and secure place. Upcoming projects include building water pumps for agricultural needs, and building housing for Iraqi contractors while they work on COP Cleary.

Rehnberg also points out that up to this point, the Georgians have built everything on COP Cleary. “These soldiers are hard working and passionate about their work,” Rehnberg said. “They did an outstanding job building the COP. We are their guests here.”

Rehnberg can speak for their work ethic since he spent time with the Georgians prior to arriving in Iraq. He was a participant in the Georgian Sustainment and Stability Operation Program, a project aimed to help the Georgians become members of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization.

He said there is a small cultural barrier between the two units, but the distance is closing on a daily basis.

“We are learning each other’s language, plus we are both learning Arabic. Every day communication gets better,” Rehnberg said.

The Georgians pride and joy on COP Cleary is a church they built from the ground up. The church includes a picket fence and a small bell tower.

Zaza Arsoshvili, a medic in the 13th Georgian Infantry Battalion, said Georgia has been a Christian region for over 16 centuries. He said having the church on the COP helps soldiers feel more comfortable while away from home.

“Faith is very important in our country,” Arsoshvili said. “The church is like a small piece of home for the soldiers.”

Arsoshvili said that the Sledgehammer Soldiers of the 3rd BCT set very high standards for Georgians and made them stronger as a battalion. While the Iron Brigade Soldiers have just begun working with the Georgians, he believes their relationship will prosper over the coming months.

“First impressions are very important and theirs was very good,” Arsoshvili said. “They are new blood and have new ideas. They can only make us better.”

Rehnberg agrees with that assessment and believes that together, Georgian and American Soldiers can improve Iraq. Over the next 15 months, the 2nd BCT and Georgian forces will assist Iraqis in repairing infrastructure and help set conditions for long-term stability in Iraq.

“These guys are our comrades,” Rehnberg said. “We need them to help complete our mission.”

The 2nd BCT, 1st Armd. Div., from Baumholder, Germany, is replacing the 3rd BCT, 3rd Inf. Div., in the Mada’in Qada in Eastern Iraq.
DVIDS
By Spc. Justin Snyder
2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division

In the past year, the SoI have been instrumental in transforming the security landscape of Iraq.

Since the start of the program, areas where SoI operate have witnessed an unprecedented drop in violence and terrorist-related activities.

Currently, about 36,000 SoI operate in Multi-National Division – Center, the region south and southeast of Baghdad. Organized via local tribal authorities, SoI are ordinary citizens who stepped up to take responsibility for securing their neighborhood. Their contributions to the country’s current stability cannot be overemphasized.

Capitalizing on the gains made by the SoI, efforts can now focus on building capacity, revitalizing the economy, and improving the quality of life for the region’s residents.

However, the program was never intended to be a long-term solution for maintaining security in Iraq.

As the Iraqi army and Iraqi police are assuming more and more authority over Iraqi security, the current scale of the SoI program is no longer essential in many areas.

Nonetheless, it is critical that these people, who have demonstrated a deep commitment to improving their country, continue to play a role in shaping its destiny.

For this reason, Task Force Marne is working with the government of Iraq to actualize these short-term successes into a long-term strategy to stabilize the country.

This process involves finding a constructive role for every member of SoI, be it transitioning into Iraqi security forces or providing employment in non-security related fields.

As the GoI increases its responsibility over the security of the nation, it has intensified efforts to bring SoI under the umbrella of IP. These opportunities were facilitated through the numerous IP recruiting drives, often coordinated by TF Marne Soldiers.

The IP are responsible for the enforcement of civil law in Iraq. The GoI commands the police, under the auspices of the ministry of the interior.

Typically, the IP drives specifically target SoI, as many of the men have already demonstrated the skills and attributes required by IP.

In March, Soldiers of the 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, held a recruitment drive with IP from the Rashid District. Over 300 SoI from Arab Jabour enthusiastically arrived, three hours early no less, for the chance to become Iraqi policemen.

This event marked an important milestone, linking GoI presence to the region for the first time in over five years. Many recruitment drives have seen similar responses and results. Drives in areas like Tameen, Iskandariyah, and Muellha have all drawn hundreds of applicants. The 4th Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Inf. Div., has already submitted nearly 5,000 SoI packets to the GoI to be screened and evaluated for ISF positions.

In other areas, such as Salman Pak, IP commanders are working with local sheikhs and TF Marne Soldiers, who identify specific recruits from their groups most qualified to contribute to the security of their area in an official capacity.

Currently, ISF recruitment of SoI primarily focuses on IP, as opposed to IA. To date, just over 1,100 SoI members have joined the ranks of the IP. Task Force Marne commanders hope to integrate an additional 2,000 in the coming months.

Numerous initiatives also exist to transition SoI into non-security related jobs.

With the improvement in security and stability, agriculture, infrastructure, and industry are rebounding in Iraq. The rapid growth of these sectors requires an expanded workforce, creating thousands of new jobs that SoI intend to fill.

Certain programs are designed to bring SoI into the public works labor division, where they help to rebuild Iraq’s damaged infrastructure. This process, known as Disarmament, Demobilization and Reintegration, has already yielded positive results.

For example, in Arab Jabour, 30 former SoI were linked with Iraqi contractors, who trained them on road and highway repair. The men are now gainfully employed, reconstructing the major roads that connect the towns throughout the region.

In this region, many SoI originally worked as farmers. Task Force Marne has contributed numerous investments to the revitalization of agriculture in the region. They have repaired water canals, provided seeds and fertilizer, rebuilt chicken coops, and facilitated a secure environment where farmers can work in peace. It is probable that, once a long-term security strategy is implemented, many SoI will return to their former agricultural professions.

Perhaps the most significant step taken to integrate SoI into non-security roles is the Joint Technical Education and Reintegration Program. This initiative, primarily funded by the GoI, provides vocational and technical training, specifically for SoI. Through the program, SoI attend free classes and training courses that teach skills like electrical engineering, construction, manufacturing, or plumbing.

“Programs like JTERP train the men in a variety of different fields, so they can eventually leave the SoI completely and go out to become productive citizens of society, with a valuable skill set,” said Capt. John Newman, 3rd Inf. Div. reconciliation officer.

JTERP also demonstrates the GoI’s commitment to ensure SoI continue to play a role in the betterment of their country, even if it is in a different form.

However, certain challenges exist that can impede SoI from moving out from their current roles.

While a current TF Marne objective is to begin transitioning the SoI, in some areas, the security situation still necessitates its presence. The SoI program was never designed as a long-term security plan. However, hastily working towards this goal could compromise many of the recent gains.

“All the absorption programs in the world could be there and work properly. But if we are in too much a rush to transition these guys out of the security role, we could potentially put ourselves right back to where we were before,” Newman said.

A common barrier for SoI is the matter of qualification. One of the requirements to become an IP, as established by the Iraqi ministry of interior, is literacy. IPs must possess basic reading and writing skills in order to examine evidence and file reports.

Many SoI come from rural areas where education has been limited. Additionally, many of the region’s schools were decimated during previous years of violence, precluding the young men from achieving these critical skills.

Even for those who are qualified, a large portion of SoI will not have the opportunity to serve as IP. The IP simply lack the capacity to absorb such a large influx of officers.

Initially, the GoI was skeptical of the SoI program. Some thought the program would only inflame sectarian tensions, having a counterproductive effect on security. According to Newman, this view of the program has since waned.

In particular, during the shia uprising in late March, while much of the country suffered clashes and insurgent attacks, the SoI members largely succeeded in preventing violence in their areas.

“They now view the SoI as a positive element, based on the security that the GoI saw in the areas where SoI operate,” Newman said. “That seemed to help the GoI understand that the SoI were beneficial for everybody.”

While TF Marne is working to transition many SoI, the future existence of the overall program remains the responsibility of the GoI.
DVIDS

After nearly three months of construction, the Moktar School’s approximately 600 students can now enjoy new windows, gates and doors, as well as new auditorium furniture. Exterior improvements included raising the outer wall as an added security measure.

“The educational environment was greatly enhanced and helped to bolster pride in their school,” said 1st Lt. Jason Potter, Moktar School project manager, 3rd Battalion, 320th Field Artillery, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault). “This project was significant in that it showed the residents of the neighborhood that the Coalition forces are really here to help.”

Mahmudiyah Qada Council chairman Abu Amar, Mahmudiyah Nahia Council president Talib Abbas and Dr. Qais al-Hanni from the Ministry of Education attended the ceremony.

Al-Hanni reminded attendees of education’s importance and maintaining an environment that encourages children to learn.

Students took the stage throughout the ceremony to give speeches, sing and recite poems. One group also performed a short skit reflecting on the successes of Iraqi Security Forces in improving security in the area, and cleaning up the neighborhood’s appearance.

At the end of the ceremony, Soldiers from 2nd Battalion, 25th Brigade, 6th Iraqi Army Division distributed school supplies to the students.
Task Force Marne
By Sgt. 1st Class Kerensa Hardy

At approximately 5:30 p.m. May 10, in the Bayaa neighborhood, soldiers from Company A, 1st Battalion, 22nd Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, detained a suspected criminal wanted for attacks against Coalition forces and the killing of innocent Iraqi citizens

At approximately 12:11 a.m. May 11, soldiers from Co. A, 1-22 IR, seized two rocket-propelled grenades, a hand grenade and a high-explosive anti-tank round while conducting a combat patrol in the al-Amil neighborhood.

Soldiers from Company B, 4th Battalion, 64th Armor Regiment, attached to the 1st BCT, 4th Inf. Div., detained three suspected criminals while conducting point-specific operations in the al-Risalah neighborhood May 11.

Soldiers from Co. C, 4-64 AR, attached to the 1st BCT, 4th Inf. Div., detained three known criminals while conducting clearing operations in the al-Risalah neighborhood May 11.

ISF, MND-B finds, seizes, substantial weapons caches across Baghdad
Multi-National Division – Baghdad Soldiers found several large weapons caches across Baghdad May 12.

At approximately 10 a.m. Iraqi Army soldiers informed their Multi-National Division – Baghdad partners that they had discovered a weapons cache in east Rashid that contained several mortar rounds. The IA soldiers cordoned off the area to protect the local populace and awaited an explosive ordinance team to clear the site. EOD investigated the site and uncovered 54 82 mm mortar rounds and 27 60 mm mortar rounds.

At approximately 10:40 a.m., MND – B Soldiers discovered a weapons cache in the Mansour district of Baghdad that contained five grenades, five grenade fuses, three pounds of TNT, three rocket motors, an AK-47 and a 9 mm sub machinegun, and various types of bomb-making materials.

At approximately 3:20 p.m. a Sons of Iraq leader informed MND-B Soldiers of the location of a weapons cache in east Rashid. The cache contained seven rocket-propelled grenade rounds, a propane cylinder filled with an unknown explosive, a PKC light machinegun and assorted ammunition.

At approximately 4 p.m., a Sons of Iraq leader informed MND-B Soldiers about the location of a weapons cache in Adhamiyah. The cache contained two 57 mm rockets and two 60 mm mortars. Further investigation of the site revealed a 122 mm illumination round and 20 to 25 pounds of an unknown explosive.

MND-B Soldiers engage IED emplacers, find weapons cache
Multi-National Division – Baghdad Soldiers killed three criminals and discovered a weapons cache during nighttime operations against enemy forces in Baghdad May 12.

At approximately 5:30 p.m., aerial surveillance witnessed two men initiate an improvised explosive device in northwestern Baghdad. An aerial weapons team then engaged the criminals, who were fleeing the scene on a motorcycle, with a Hellfire missile and killed them both.

Soldiers from 1st Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, discovered a weapons cache consisting of five IEDs and two explosively formed projectiles in West Rashid at approximately 7 p.m.

At approximately 10 p.m., Soldiers from 4th Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division, killed one criminal after observing him emplace an IED in New Baghdad.

“We are indoors tonight, mainly due to the fact that it is cold and rainy outside. We are all on the second floor of the International Residence, a short run down the stairs to the door, which opens into a courtyard. We have made this run about 6 or 7 times today when aftershocks have hit. Strangely now though, when the tremors are small, we all just congregate at the top of the stairs and talk about how this particular shake-up doesn’t require the run down the stairs.

“Another interesting thing we have figured out is that we cannot trust ourselves to detect the tremors. This is mainly due to false alarms, which is something we are all experiencing, particularly when we lay down to try and nap. A more reliable system we have devised is to place a glass (or a bottle) of water on the ground or on a desk whenever we are in our rooms, or anywhere indoors. The tremors cause very clear ripples in the water, and so it has become a bit of a joke among us now how much time we spend staring at water.

“It has also become clear that sitting and waiting is not helping anyone. Tonight we decided as a group that tomorrow morning we are going to downtown Chengdu to donate blood. My hope is that contributing to the relief effort will give us a sense of power in a situation that has led us all to feel quite powerless.”

The Kazakhstani Reverse Osmosis Water Purification Unit team’s equipment pumps water directly from the Tigris River and filters it in large bladders that desalinate and distill it, reducing the risk of waterborne diseases. Their equipment has the capacity to produce 2,500 gallons of drinkable water per hour, enough to provide Soldiers with clean water for laundry and shower facilities.

The ROWPU team took over water purification operations from the 26th Brigade Support Battalion, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division. The 26th BSB’s ROWPU team had been treating water for Soldiers in the area since late May 2007.

The Kazakhstani team arrived at COP Murray, May 4, and spent the following three days setting up their operation. By, May 8, their water was tested and approved for use.

“Kazakhstani Soldiers have a good relationship with American Soldiers,” said Capt. Ilyasov Askar, translator for the Kazakh unit. “The base we came from had soldiers from six or seven countries on it, and we would invite each other to celebrations of the different holidays.”

The team was previously stationed at FOB Delta in Wasit province. There are 29 Kazakh soldiers currently deployed in Iraq, Askar said.

When the 1-30th Inf. Regt. redeploys to home-station, the Kazakh soldiers plan to remain, working with 6th Squadron, 8th Cavalry Regiment, 4th BCT, 3rd Inf. Div.

The 1-30th Inf. Regt. is part of the 2nd BCT, 3rd Inf. Div., from Fort Stewart, Ga.
DVIDS

Many people seem unaware of the purpose of the Army Individual Ready Reserve and its obligations, Maj. Gen. Sean Byrne, commander of U.S. Army Human Resources Command, said during a teleconference with online journalists and “bloggers” March 9.

“I see three main fallacies … associated with IRR soldiers,” Byrne said. First, many do not fully understand the delay or exemption program available to soldiers who receive mobilization orders, he said. Secondly, he said, people seem to believe any soldier in possession of a DD-214 form — the official separation document — is completely discharged with no further obligation.

Every individual who assumes active duty in the Army automatically incurs an eight-year mandatory service obligation and is made aware of that obligation, Byrne said. But seemingly widespread unawareness of this obligation accounts for the third misconception, he said.

“Soldiers typically serve two to four years on active duty,” he explained, “and when they leave active duty, they’re transferred into the reserve components to fulfill the remainder of their obligation.”

The IRR is one of several ways soldiers may fulfill their remaining years of service, Byrne said, with the other options including remaining on active duty, or serving in uniform with the National Guard or Reserve.

While the Guard and Reserve often require weekend training and periodic duty assignments, the IRR only obligates soldiers to meet minimal annual requirements, such as keeping personal contact information current, attending musters, updating readiness screening questionnaires, and responding to official correspondence, Byrne said.

“The IRR is a group of trained, experienced military professionals who stand ready to augment Army units,” he explained. “We mobilized and deployed soldiers of the IRR for Operation Desert Storm, and since 9/11, we’ve been mobilizing and deploying them to support the global war on terror.

“Today, we have almost 72,000 soldiers in the IRR, with approximately 6,500 of them on active duty,” he added.

The Army expects IRR soldiers will serve in duty positions when called upon, Byrne said. But, he said there is a formal process for requesting a delay or exemption, if an injury, illness, or extenuating circumstance prevents the soldier’s return to active duty.

Byrne said the IRR’s mobilization orders include a toll-free phone number for soldiers to call to request a delay or exemption from returning to active duty.

“We tell them formally, as we give them mobilization orders, … what they need to do if they need a delay (or) exemption,” he said. About half of requests for delays or exemptions are approved, he added.

He explained that the requests are reviewed on a case-by-case basis and aren’t subjected to any standard determining factors.

“We are really very careful as we review anybody’s request for an exemption, a delay, any of those, to make sure that we’re doing the right thing for the individual and the institution,” he said.

If a case has not been adjudicated before a soldier’s scheduled report date, Byrne explained, he or she will be granted an administrative delay from returning to active duty.

“Administrative delays are not unusual special favors,” he said. “They’re granted in accordance with standard operating procedures that exist to ensure a soldier’s situation is carefully and completely considered.”

The Army has “a pretty deliberate process” by which IRR soldiers who are called back can ask for a delay or an exemption should they feel they’re not qualified to serve on active duty, Byrne said.

“One of the worst things that we can do is try to bring somebody on active duty who’s got problems that are insurmountable,” he added, “that are basically going to make it very hard or difficult for them to focus on their active-duty time.”

(Kristen Noel works for the New Media branch of the American Forces Information Service.)
DVIDS
By Kristen Noel