Army to Halt Call-Ups of Inactive Soldiers

Feeling a draft?--Dictynna

Thousands on Reserve List Seek Delay or Exemption on Return to Active Duty

By Ann Scott Tyson
Washington Post Staff Writer
Friday, November 18, 2005; Page A11

The Army has suspended plans to expand an unwieldy, 16-month-old program to call up inactive soldiers for military duty, after thousands have requested delays or exemptions or failed to show up.

Despite intense pressure to fill manpower gaps, Army Secretary Francis J. Harvey said the Army has no plans for any further call-up of the Individual Ready Reserve (IRR) beyond the current level of about 6,500 soldiers. The IRR is a pool of about 115,000 trained soldiers who have left active-duty or reserve units for civilian life, but remain subject to call-up for a set period.