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Reserve Affiliation Benefits

 
The benefits of affiliating via the RPAC are substantial. Here are some key benefits:
  • 2-Year Involuntary Mobilization Deferment
  • TAMP Medical Benefits1
  • Financial Incentives
  • Reserve Retirement
  • Life and Long-term Care Insurance
  • Post 9/11 GI-Bill Transferability1
  • Education
  • Reduced Medical Screening
  • Reserve Oath of Office Management2
 
1 - must complete processing in time to transition as a Selected Reserve (SELRES) the day after separation from active duty (AD) to maintain active participation.
2 - Reserve Oath of Office must be signed no later than the day after separation to avoid break in service, i.e., continuous military service with no time gaps.


 
2-Year Involuntary Mobilization Deferment
 
All Navy Veteran (NAVET) who affiliate SELRES are granted an involuntary mobilization deferment to afford them time to set up a new career and establish themselves in their community. NAVADMIN 007/07
 
•NAVETs who affiliate with the Navy Reserve within 6 months (183 days) of release from AD qualify for a 2-year deferment from involuntary mobilization, commencing on the date they affiliate with the Navy Reserve. RPAC will ensure Reserve databases are updated with the appropriate mobilization availability status (MAS) code to prevent mobilization.
•NAVETs who affiliate between 7 and 12 months (184-365 days) of release qualify for a 1-year deferment from involuntary mobilization commencing on the date they affiliate with the Navy Reserve. Members affiliating during this time need to affiliate via a Navy recruiter.
Note: service members may volunteer for mobilization or recall any time during the deferment period.

 
TAMP Medical Benefits
 
By transitioning via the RPAC, service members are more likely to avoid a break in active participation, i.e., AD or SELRES, and become eligible for 6 months (180 days) of family Tricare benefits (same benefits enjoyed by AD members). After the 6 months, service members can then enroll in Tricare Reserve Select for the remainder of their SELRES career.
Service members who qualify for Transitional Assistance Management Program (TAMP or TA-180), receive dental care under the Tricare Active Duty Dental Program for 6 months. After 6 months, service members may opt to receive coverage under the Tricare Dental Program for Guard and Reserve service members. Eligible family members may purchase dental coverage separately.

 
  •  OPNAVINST 1900.2C - TAMP
  • TAMP or TA-180
  • Tricare Reserve Select
  • Tricare Dental Program
 
Financial Incentives
 
RPAC Transition Assistants (TAs) are well-versed on the financial incentives available to separating service members. Your TA will ensure the timely processing of your bonus and answer any questions you may have.
 
Note: taking the affiliation bonus incurs a 3-year SELRES obligation. The first 2 years run concurrent with the mobilization deferment, i.e., you can collect the bonus and not be mobilized for the first 2 years. However, unless you intend to fulfill this 3-year SELRES commitment, do NOT take the bonus.
 
Service members serving in a critical shortage subspecialty as defined by the "FY14-15 Reserve Component Wartime Healthcare Specialties with Critical Shortages" memo are eligible for annual specialty pay. Acceptance of this specialty pay incurs a 3-year drilling obligation with the SELRES.
 
Reserve Retirement
 
Most service members leaving AD have already earned a substantial number of points towards Reserve retirement. The RPAC will help you transition to the SELRES the day after you separate from AD so you do not miss any opportunities to begin earning retirement points immediately. More points = more $$.
 
Doctors who have completed 20 years of creditable service for retirement purposes and participated in the Health Professions Scholarship Program (HPSP) in a critical wartime shortage specialty, can earn 1 year of additional creditable retirement for each year of satisfactory service in the SELRES, up to a maximum of 4 years. DoDI 1215.07 (commencing on or after 23SEP96).
 
HPSP retirement example*: A CDR, who serves in a DoD Critical Wartime Specialty, participated in the HPSP program for 4 years and separates with 12 years of AD service. For each year the officer completes a satisfactory year towards Reserve retirement, the officer can convert 1 year of time served in HPSP to a qualifying year towards Reserve retirement. That CDR would need to serve in the SELRES for 8 years to reach retirement eligibility and if retires at that time, would be credited with 24 years (to include HPSP time). The first 2 years run concurrent with the 2-year involuntary mobilization deferment. 
 
Note: in some cases it is possible to reduce your retirement age from 60 down to as little as 50 by taking on AD orders while in the Navy Reserve. DoDI 1215.07.
 
For in-depth authoritative information about Reserve retirement, refer to BUPERSINST 1001.39F, chapter 20.
•Estimate your retirement pay
•U.S. Army Human Resources site retirement calculator (unofficial calculator)

 
Life and Long-term Care Insurance
 
Service Member’s Group Life Insurance (SGLI) is a program that provides low-cost term life insurance coverage to eligible service members (AD and SELRES). If eligible, you are automatically issued the maximum SGLI coverage of $400,000 and do not need to apply for coverage.
 
Family Service Member's Group Life Insurance (FSGLI) is also available for spouses and dependent children. FSGLI provides a maximum of $100,000 of low-cost insurance for spouses, not to exceed the service member's SGLI coverage amount, and $10,000 for dependent children (included in service member's SGLI premium.
•Service Members' Group Life Insurance (SGLI)

 
The Federal Long Term Care Insurance Program provides long term care insurance to help pay for costs of care when you need help with activities you perform every day, or you have a severe cognitive impairment, such as Alzheimer's disease. The program is open to AD and SELRES service members.
  • Federal Long Term Care Insurance Program
 
Post 9/11 GI-Bill Transferability
 
Service members eligible for the Post-9/11 GI-Bill program can transfer unused educational entitlement to their eligible dependents. The transferability option must be elected while actively serving (AD or SELRES) with no breaks in active participation. 

Note: Officers who graduated from the Naval Academy or received ROTC scholarships do qualify for the new GI-Bill benefit. However, time spent satisfying the ROTC/Naval Academy AD obligation does not count towards the AD service necessary to qualify for the benefits.

Example: A LT with 9 years of AD service elected to transfer their unused benefit to their spouse. As a condition of this benefit, the service member must serve 4 years in either the SELRES or on AD with no breaks in active participation, i.e., not one day spent in the IRR. This service member has served 3 of 4 years satisfactorily and now wishes to transition from AD to the SELRES. The member would work with RPAC to ensure they are processed on time to transition seamlessly from AD to SELRES with no break in their commitment. If this service member went to the IRR, even for one day, they would be required to sign a new page 13 obligating to serve those 4 years from the beginning.

Officers who twice failed to select (2xFOS) to the next paygrade may be able to keep their transferred entitlement based on the following: 
  • They were NOT 2xFOS due to adverse reasons
  • They were NOT offered continuation
If this is the case, these members may email mill_gibill@navy.mil and provide proof they have to separate and were not offered continuation (results in BOL) and provide date of separation. PERS-311 will then confirm information provided and change obligation end date in the system.

*BUPERSNOTE 1780 was released 14 SEP 2015 and it contains the most up-to-date gouge on the Post-9/11 GI-Bill. Please read this document carefully to make sure you understand it.*
 
 
Education
 
The Navy is committed to providing service members the means to reach their educational goals through various programs and services available. Please browse through the links below to explore your options. 
  • Montgomery GI-Bill - Selected Reserve
  • U.S. Naval War College
  • Senior Enlisted Academy
  • Navy Credentialing Opportunities Online (COOL)
  • Defense Activity for Non-Traditional Education Support (DANTES)
  • Reserve Educational Assistance (REAP)
  • Navy College Program
  • Navy Knowledge Online
  • Tuition Assistance
  • Troops to Teachers
Reduced Medical Screening
 
Service members who transition to the SELRES within 6 months of their separation date are reviewed under medical retention standards. Service members fit to separate from AD may retain their current medical waivers. After 6 months, you may need to start the medical screening process from the beginning via the Military Entrance Processing Station (MEPS) just as you did when you first joined the Navy. If you are qualified to serve on AD, then you are typically qualified to serve in the Reserve.
 
Note: You may be eligible to actively drill and receive both Reserve pay and VA disability pay.
 
For example: LT Sailor drilled 2 days in the month of November. He can still receive 28 days of disability pay, but he must decide whether he would prefer to receive either Reserve pay or disability pay for those 2 drill days. Most people will choose to receive their Reserve pay since it is generally higher. Hence, LT Sailor would receive his drill pay for his 2 drill days and $1,400 in disability pay for the other 28 days. Refer to VA Form 21-8951-2 for more details.
 
Reserve Oath of Office Management
 
The Oath of Office is an affirmation a service members takes before undertaking the duties of a commissioned Officer. It is the most important document an officer signs before transitioning to the Reserve. As such, it MUST be signed and witnessed BEFORE the officer separates from AD to avoid a break in service, i.e., continuous active military service with no time gaps.
 
Separating Officers in-zone for promotion must avoid a break in service to be considered in the next Reserve promotion board. See BUPERSINST 1001.39F, Chapter 1.105 for more information.
 
RPAC TAs will make every effort to deliver the Reserve Oath of Office to an Officer before their separation date to prevent a break in service and subsequent loss of benefits. However, due diligence on the part of the officer is required.
 
In order to receive a Reserve Oath of Office, Officers must first be scroll-approved by the secretary of defense (SECDEF). Scrolls are prepared by PERS-804 and are lists consisting of name, rank, and SSN, which are sent to SECDEF requesting appointment approval. SECDEF approval generally takes 9-12 weeks.
 
Additional Benefits
 

BASE PRIVILEGES
Navy Reserve service members are entitled to the same base privileges as enjoyed while on AD, which includes unlimited Commissary and Exchange visits and unlimited use of Morale, Welfare and Recreation (MWR) programs and facilities.
 
USERRA
The Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act of 1994 (USERRA) is a federal law that establishes rights and responsibilities for uniformed service members and their civilian employers. It is intended to ensure that persons who serve or have served in the military: (1) are not disadvantaged in their civilian careers because of their service; (2) are promptly reemployed in their civilian jobs upon their return from duty; and (3) are not discriminated against in employment based on past, present, or future military service. The law is intended to encourage uniformed service so that the United States can enjoy the protection of those services, staffed by qualified people, while maintaining a balance with the needs of private and public employers who also depend on these same individuals.
 
  • USERRA
  • U.S. Department of Labor USERRA Policy

Psychological Health Outreach Program (PHOP)

Provides Navy Reservists and their families’ full access to appropriate psychological health care services and support in other areas of transition from AC to RC (including the IRR). PHOP can assist in finding a wide range of local resources for you as you embark on the next phase of your life and find similar services that you would encounter from Fleet and Family Service Centers in your new role.  Contact your local PHOP region for assistance at 1-866-578-PHOP (7467).

 
Personal Financial Counselors (PFC)

A DoD program for members of the Guard and Reserve.  https://private.navyreserve.navy.mil/cnrfc/commandfunctions/financial_literacy/Pages/default.aspx (requires a CAC)


 

For additional information on Navy Reserve benefits, please visit the additional benefits information page.
Disclaimer: This page represents a summary of the benefits available to Navy Reservists. The
RPAC does not assume any responsibility for any errors in misrepresentation of these benefits nor does the RPAC claim responsibility over the policy governing these benefits. Please refer to the source of these benefits for authoritative information.

 
  Veterans Crisis Line - Dial 988  Safe Helpline  NCIS Tips  Sexual Assault Prevention & Response  NFAAS
 

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