Reserve Marines Activated

MCB Quantico, VA. - For the first time since the beginning of the war in Iraq more than three years ago, Marines in the individual ready reserve face the possibility of pulling their uniforms out of their closets, dusting them off and stepping off with their packs for another deployment.

The Marine Corps was authorized by President George W. Bush July 26 to activate as many as 2,500 Marines back into service.

Individual Ready Reserve Marines will begin receiving involuntary activation orders to report for a year of active duty beginning in October, said Lt. Col. Francis P. Piccoli, public affairs officer for Manpower and Reserve Affairs. He added that each activation will last around 12 to18 months.

According to Piccoli, during the past couple years the number of volunteers to fill requirements for the IRR has had a steady decline but the requirements have stayed the same. This has made it necessary to issue involuntary activation orders, he added.

The IRR has approximately 60,000 Marines. Only approximately 35,000 of those Marines will be affected. Marines in their first or fourth year of their IRR status will not be considered for activation, said Piccoli.

Marines who receive involuntary activation orders to report for active duty service will be used in support of the Global War on Terrorism in places such as Iraq, Afghanistan and the Horn of Africa.

Each Marine called up will receive ample time to prepare once notified. They will be notified five months in advance before reporting for active duty and “by giving them sufficient future time before having to report, we allow them to get their affairs in order,” Piccoli said.

A Marine can request a delay, a deferment or an exemption from the IRR activation. A Marine can request a delay if he can report but may not be able to make it on the exact date required. A Marine can also request a deferment to another rotation if a situation arises such as a spouse’s death or they can request an exemption if a circumstance forbids the Marine from being able to deploy now or in the future.

There have been reports that low recruitment levels have initiated the IRR activation.

“The reason for the activation is not due to a recruiting problem,” Piccoli said. “According to the Marine Corps Recruiting Command, recruiting goals are consistently being met. This is more about meeting the requirements that come to the Marine Corps to fill joint and Marine Corps billets in support of the Global War on Terrorism. The Marine Corps is looking at grade and MOS requirements and then trying to match them up with the positions needed to fill.”

Military Occupational Specialties needed are broken down by rank. From the officer ranks, the most needed MOSs are infantry, logistics, intelligence, artillery, staff judge advocate, communications and engineers. On the enlisted side, aviation, infantry, intelligence, motor transport, logistics, communications, linguists and military police are the most needed specialties.

“These folks are filling forward deployed positions,” Piccoli said. “We’re not calling them up to fill positions in places such as Quantico-they are not needed there.”

This initiative has an open ended window and it will continue indefinitely. The Marine Corps is planning to have three rotations during a minimum time frame of two years.

“This is not just for the reserve side of the Marine Corps,” Piccoli said. “The Marine Corps operates with a total force mentality. This is just another indication we mean business. Whether it is the reserve or active components, we’re coming together to get the job done.”
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Copyright 2006 Marine Corps News. All opinions expressed in this article are the author's and do not necessarily reflect those of Military.com.