The Navy Reserve expects to mobilize sailors in the near future, according to briefing documents obtained by Navy Times and confirmed by Vice Adm. John G. Cotton, chief of the Navy Reserve. That figure means that nearly one in three available reservists, not counting those who have already been mobilized and and those listed as not deployable for medical, dental, or other administrative reasons, will mobilize during the next year for deployments ranging from six months to more than one year.
Cotton said he does not believe the rate of mobilizations will exhaust the pool of available reservists; that is because the Navy Reserve's 26 percent yearly turnover creates a fresh supply of deployable sailors every year, according to Capt. David J. Wray, spokesman for the Navy Reserve. But most new reservists are prior-service sailors who enter from the active component as already deployable assets. Such sailors who have deployed within their last 12 months on active duty can ask that mobilizations be put off for their first year in the Navy Reserve.
As of Oct. 31, 2006 there were 71,300 people serving in the selected reserve, according to Cotton. Cotton said the number of reservists who will be contacted for possible mobilization will be higher than 9,300. That's because Navy officials have found that as many as 40 percent of reservists contacted for recent mobilizations could not deploy, despite being listed as deployable by their units.
Cotton said the exact number of reservists who can expect a mobilization call next year is unknown because it is difficult to predict precisely how many sailors who are called will be determined to be deployable.
The Navy Reserve had been authorized by Congress to have more mobilized reservists throughout the year, a number that does not include a smaller number of reservists who count against active-duty billets or who have been mobilized for 30-day operational deployments to fulfill their annual drilling requirements.
The number Congress has specifically authorized for the Navy Reserve to bring sailors on full time but not have them count against the active-duty end strength is high. In the past, the Navy had to do a juggling act to ensure the number of activated reservists did not put the Navy over the end strength authorized by Congress.
Cotton said he anticipated keeping no more than a certain number of reservists mobilized at any given time during the next 12 months. Instead of driving back and forth for a Monthly Coffee and Donut Drill you will do 1 year's worth of 24 Drills and throws in the 2 weeks at in one shot. Sounds like a Good Plan but I don't see Reserve units having to deal with Reservists around More. Also I Just hope it's used for getting people Actually Trained and Qualified instead of an extended Annual Training Stint. Aviation Squadrons actually have enough Admin and Maint duties to worry about a reservist that is going to be gone in a few weeks.
For most selres units it will be extremely difficult to do an extended block once a year. The training would/could be a lot better, but the important thing with the Navy is the admin part. I live 150 miles from my NOSC and drill off site at an army base. There are at least 4-6 trips a year to the NOSC for admin, medical, page 2 updates, and on and on. As for the mobilized personnel, will most be IA's? I know the battalions, EST's, and some other entire units are deploying but I don't see that many personnel in a few Bee battalions.
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Victor Epand is an expert consultant for http://www.WarGear.info/. WarGear.info carries the best selection of military clothing, war gear, and combat accessories on the market.
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