IRR FAQ: What about reporting for semi-regular IRR musters?

This FAQ is related to Courage to Resist’s “Resisting Individual Ready Reserve (IRR) recall” published February 2009. If this question is of interest to you, please read our overview first.

Members of the IRR are expected to be available about once a year to report for a muster. At the muster, the military will take stock of your general “readiness” for activation, and make sure they have your current contact information. These musters are sometimes done “virtually” in order to save expense and effort.

So far the Army has not used musters as a way to trick individuals in the IRR onto active duty (aside from occasional reenlistment sales pitches) or to issue activation orders on the spot. Attending an IRR muster is not currently a limiting factor for your future options regarding refusing activation.

We initially had concerns about the Marine Corps using musters to issue activation orders on the spot which could result in an individual immediately falling under the UCMJ. This has not happened.

The Marines are issuing orders to IRR individuals to report for “activation evaluation.” These are different than regular musters. If you are found to be ready for activation at an activation evaluation, you are issued orders to report at a future date for full-time duty and deployment.

Marines should assume that they are subject to the UCMJ at the point of receiving orders at the activation evaluation. It would be worthwhile for Marines to contact us if they are considering resisting during this period of time between receiving orders at the activation evaluation and returning to begin full-time duty.