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 Administration of the Reserve (TAR)
officers.
 

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)

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.
 

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 14509, 14703, 12308

Navy Reserve officers must be separated on the last day of the month in which they reach age 62.  Officers who are eligible for retired pay and benefits at age 60 must receive a waiver 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

Per  section 14703 of the Title 10, U.S. Code, SECNAV may, with the officer’s consent, retain in an active status beyond 68 years of age an officer who holds a medical subspecialty determined to be necessary by the Navy.  The officer will submit to SECNAV an exception to policy request via their chain of command.  The adjudicated request will be included with the retention request submitted to the PERS-9 Continuation and Retention Panel.

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.
 

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.
 

The officer must then return the Resolution of Status form provided with the PERS-911D notification letter, a member request letter (in Standard Navy Format), any supporting documentation and NRC/UNIT CO endorsements to formally request continuation/retention.  Continuation/Retention requests will be considered by a Panel of Officers and the recommendations of the panel will be approved by PERS-9.

The deadline for requesting continuation/retention will be provided in the notification letter from PERS-911D.  No request will be considered if received after the submission deadline for the convening date of the Panel.

Continuation/Retention Panels
Beginning January 2022, the submission deadline for any particular Panel will be the 15^th of the month prior to the requested Panel.  If the 15^th falls on a weekend or holiday the packages will be due the last business day prior to the 15^th.  If a Continuation/Retention request is submitted after the 15^th, it will be held until the next Panel. The only items needed in a continuation/retention package are the following:
 

a. Resolution of Status form

b. Letter from member

c. NRC CO endorsement

d. Gaining command CO endorsement if on orders

e. Other endorsements if member chooses

f. Copy of active duty orders: Mobilization, Recall, CANREC, and ADOS if on orders
g. All other items submitted will not be reviewed/considered.

Submit packages to Pers-911D.

Continuation/Retention Panels 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 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 5 business days after the Panel results have been approved by PERS-9.