Reserve Officer Continuation and Retention
This page addresses only Reserve officers who are serving in Ready Reserve (SELRES, VTU, IRR) or Standby Reserve-Active (USNR-S1) status. It does not address Training and Administration of the Reserve (TAR) officers.
Continuation Retention Applications
IMPORTANT CHANGE: Continuation/Retention Applications now require Captains (O-6) and Chief Warrant Officer Fives (W-5) to also include an endorsement with rank/rate from the first Flag Officer, General Officer, or Senior Executive Service (SES) employee in their chain of command or the Reserve Component Flag Officer Community Sponsor for their designator.
Officers requesting retention must submit a completed application package to Reserve Officer Retention and Continuation Panel (PERS-9).
The documents needed include:
1. Resolution of Status form
2. Letter from the member detailing the request
3. Navy Reserve Activity (NRA) Commanding Officer (CO) endorsement, and any additional endorsements if desired
4. If on active duty orders at the time of the retention request, member must also submit a gaining command CO endorsement and a copy of the active duty orders (i.e. Mobilization, Recall, and ADOS)
5. Retention applications for Captains (O-6) and Chief Warrant Officer Five (W-5) must also include an endorsement with rank/rate from the first Flag Officer, General Officer, or Senior Executive Service (SES) employee in their chain of command or the Reserve Component Flag Officer Community Sponsor for their designator. *Please add rank/rate on signed endorsement.
PERS-9 may coordinate with the Bureau of Naval Personnel (BUPERS-3) to obtain a Reserve Component Flag Officer Community Sponsor endorsement, if not included in the original Application.
The results of the panel are promulgated by official letter normally within 10 business days after the panel results have been approved by PERS-9.
Please submit complete packages to Pers-911d.fct@navy.mil.
Continuation/Retention Panels
Officers’ records will be screened by PERS-911D, and those eligible for continuation or retention will be notified 9 to 11 months before their mandatory attrition date and will be provided information on procedures for requesting continuation/retention.
Beginning January 2022, the submission deadline is the 15th of the month prior to the following months’ panel. If the 15th falls on a weekend or holiday the packages will be due the last business day prior to the 15th. If a Continuation/Retention request is submitted after the 15th, it will be held until the next panel.
Continuation/Retention Panel will meet monthly, on the 1st Wednesday of each month barring holidays. The Panel considers the member's current status, history of participation/performance, community manning, correspondence to the panel, any adverse information (if applicable), active-duty orders currently serving under (if applicable), and any previous periods of continuation or retention (if applicable).
Your Continuation request should be submitted per the Correspondence Manual. e.g.
From: CAPTAIN John S. Sailor, INTEL, 1835
To: Commander, Navy Personnel Command (PERS-911D)
Subj: Request for Continuation or Retention
1. Member needs to explain reason(s) for requesting continuation or retention. For example, if a 2XFOS Lieutenant is requesting a third look for Lieutenant Commander. The time the member is requesting, for example, a 6 month extension to wait for Board results, to complete mobilization orders, to go beyond age 60, etc.
The results of the panel are promulgated by official letter normally within 10 business days after the panel results have been approved by PERS-9.
Provisions of Law and Policy
There are provisions of law and policy that allow continuation and retention of certain Navy Reserve officers past mandatory attrition dates when they become subject to the following provisions of law:
Attrition Provisions of Law (Promotion Failures/Years of Service)
Title 10 U.S. Code, Chapter 1407 requires the following attrition actions:
Lieutenants - in an active status (USNR-R or USNR-S1) who twice fail of selection to LCDR and have completed the eight-year Military Service Obligation (MSO) will be transferred to the Retired Reserve, if qualified, or be honorably discharged from the Navy Reserve not later than the first day of the seventh month after approval of the Board report which considered the officer for the second time. Lieutenants that have 2 times failed to select to Lieutenant Commander may submit a request for continuation for a third look for Lieutenant Commander. Lieutenants can request continuation up to 20 years of commissioned service as a Lieutenant. Continuation is dependent on the final adjudication of the request. Continuation is not automatic.
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The following LT designators are authorized a fourth look for LCDR: Information Professional (IP), Intelligence (Intel), Cryptologic Warfare (CW), Judge Advocate General’s Corps (JAG), Public Affairs Officer (PAO), Chaplain Corps (CHC), Medical Corps (MC), Dental Corps (DC), Medical Service Corps (MSC), Nurse Corps (NC), Oceanography (Oceano), Supply Corps (SC), Unrestricted Line (URL), Human resources (HR)
Lieutenant Commanders - in an active status (USNR-R or USNR-S1) who twice fail of selection to CDR and have completed 20 years of commissioned service will be transferred to the Retired Reserve, if qualified, or be honorably discharged from the Navy Reserve not later than the first day of the month following the month in which the officer completes 20 years of commissioned service. Lieutenant Commanders can request continuation up to 24 years of commissioned service as a Lieutenant Commander. Continuation is dependent on the final adjudication of the request. Continuation is not automatic.
Commanders - in an active status (USNR-R or USNR-S1) who are not on the promotion list to CAPT will be transferred to the Retired Reserve, if qualified, or be honorably discharged from the Navy Reserve not later than the first day of the month following the month in which the officer completes 28 years of commissioned service. Commanders can request continuation up to 33 years of commissioned service as a Commander. Continuation is dependent on the final adjudication of the request. Continuation is not automatic.
Captains - in an active status (USNR-R or USNR-S1) who are not on the promotion list to the next higher pay-grade will be transferred to the Retired Reserve, if qualified, or be honorably discharged from the Navy Reserve not later than the first day of the month following the month in which the officer completes 30 years of commissioned service. Captains can request continuation up to 35 years of commissioned service as a Captain. Continuation is dependent on the final adjudication of the request. Continuation is not automatic.
Title 10, U.S. Code, Section 12308, 14509, 14510, 14703
Section 12308: Any person who has qualified for retired pay under chapter 1223 of this title may, with his consent and by order of the Secretary concerned, be retained on active duty, or in service in a reserve component other than that listed in section 12732(b) of this title. A member so retained shall be credited with that service for all purposes.
Section 14509, 14510: Navy Reserve officers must be separated on the last day of the month in which they reach age 62.
MEDICAL DESIGNATORS AND CHAPLAINS
Section 14703: The Secretary of the Navy may, with the officer's consent, retain in an active status any reserve officer appointed in the Medical Corps, Dental Corps, Nurse Corps, or Chaplain Corps or appointed in the Medical Services Corps and designated to perform as a veterinarian, optometrist, podiatrist, allied health officer, or biomedical sciences officer.
Separation at Specified Age: An officer may not be retained in active status under this section later than the date on which the officer becomes 68 years of age. The Secretary concerned may, with the consent of the officer, retain in an active status an officer in a medical specialty beyond the date described above if the Secretary concerned determines that such retention is necessary to the military department concerned. Each such retention shall be made on a case-by-case basis and for such period as the Secretary concerned determines appropriate.
Officers who are eligible for retired pay and benefits at age 60 must request retention beyond age 60 to remain in the Navy Reserve until age 62. Certain officers may be retained past age 62 but not later than the date they reach age 68.
Continuation Eligibility
Officers eligible for continuation are defined in Title 10 US Code, Chapter 1407, and SECNAV’s Retention and Continuation Plan (See link above right).
Retention Eligibility
Retention Until Age 62
Captains, Commanders, and Lieutenant Commanders, in the Medical Corps (2105), Dental Corps (2205), Nurse Corps (2905), Medical Service Corps (2305), (Designated to perform service as an optometrist, podiatrist, allied health officer, or biomedical sciences officer) and Chaplain Corps (4105) may be retained until age 62.
All officers (below flag rank) in any designator who have reached non-regular (reserve) retirement eligibility may, with the officer's consent and by order of the Secretary of the Navy, be retained until age 62.
Retention Past Age 62
Captains, Commanders, and Lieutenant Commanders, in the Medical Corps (2105), Dental Corps (2205), Nurse Corps (2905), Medical Service Corps (2305), (Designated to perform service as an optometrist, podiatrist, allied health officer, or biomedical sciences officer) and Chaplain Corps (4105) may be retained past age 62 not to exceed age 68. Age 68 Waivers must be submitted to PERS-911D by the member’s 67 birthday.
Change In Your Navy Reserve Status
As of 1FEB23 all Change In Your Navy Reserve Status letters are being emailed to your official email address in NSIPS.
It is imperative that you verify and update your email address in NSIPS so that you do not miss any communications and deadlines.