PARAMILITARY FORCES AND RESERVES: Rare Reserve Call Up

May 24, 2004: The U.S. Armed Forces are calling to active duty the Individual Ready Reserve (IRR). These are soldiers in the reserve who are not assigned to a unit (and are thus not paid), but are still serving out there remaining time (that they signed up for) in the reserves or active duty. Until their time is expired, they are liable to call up. Some are going to be called up. This is rarely done.

There are 118,000 men and women in the IRR. All have received their military training, served on active or reserve duty and been honorably discharged, but still have several years of military service remaining to serve. When you join the armed forces, you agree to a certain number of years of active service, plus some more in the inactive reserve. There are also soldiers who joined the reserves and ended up in the inactive reserve. This is because they moved and could find no reserve unit near where they lived, or none with a need for their particular skills. Those in the IRR are supposed to keep the military aware of their current address and health status, but this is often not done. The National Guard has a similar category, the Inactive National Guard (ING).

By law (10 USC 12302), the president can declare a partial mobilization (which he has done) that allows putting reserve and National Guard troops on active duty for up to 24 months. The president can mobilize up to a million personnel this way. To mobilize more personnel requires a full mobilization, and only Congress can do that, at the request of the president. With a full mobilization, an unlimited number troops can be called up for the duration of the war, plus six months. A full mobilization allows the use of the Standby Reserves (former active duty or reserve troops who volunteer to make themselves available for wartime service) or the Retired Reserve (all retired military personnel automatically pass into the Retired Reserve.) The Standby and Retired reserves provide over 100,000 well trained and experienced personnel. The number is vague because eligibility for active service depends on whether the reservists could pass the active duty physical exam.

May 18, 2004: The U.S. Department of Defense is still looking for civilians with combat skills for work in Iraq and Afghanistan. A recent solicitation by Blackwater Security Consulting sought qualified candidates for “high risk environments.” The company is seeking people for hostage rescue, and providing security for senior people. In general, candidates are being sought who have special operations, intelligence, and law enforcement experience, with skills in the areas of Hostage Rescue, Close Quarter Battle, Structure Penetration, Intelligence Collection, Explosive Ordnance Disposal, Forward Observer/Call-for-Fire, Reconnaissance and Surveillance, Sniper/Counter-Sniper Operations, Visit, Board, Search and Seizure Operations, Counter-narcotics/Counterterrorist Operations, Small Unit Tactics, Raid Conduct and Training, Medic, Communications. The personal security candidates need skills such as; Force Protection, Executive/Close Protection, Reconnaissance and Surveillance, Close Quarter Battle, Intelligence Collection/Interrogation, Area of Operation language skills. The third set of jobs was for people to staff forward operating bases and required skills like; Field Generator Operations, Field Fueling Operations, Water System Operations, Field Food Program Operations, Field Sanitation Operations, Field Construction Operations.

All candidates must be U.S. citizens, be in good mental and physical health, communicate well in English, have an international drivers license, age 20-55, able to obtain a SECRET security clearance and pass a background check (that is, no criminal record.)

All candidates will increase their chances of being hired if they have any of the following desirable skills; . Positive can-do attitude even during difficult circumstances, Team player, Willingness to go the extra mile to ensure a job well-done, Previous weapons training, CPR/First Aid certified, Understand Use of Force principles, Surveillance skills, Proficiency in use of radio, electronic and computer equipment.

These jobs pay over $100,000 a year, plus benefits, depending on skill and experience.

May 13, 2004: May 9, 2004: The Department of Defense is looking into the possibility of placing controls on the intelligence gathering operations of contractors in Iraq. Officially, this is due to concerns about accountability, particularly in the wake of the prisoner abuse investigations. Two contractors from CACI International were recently implicated in the abuse of Iraqi prisoners.

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