MOBILIZATIONS
In support of the Navy Reserve Fighting Instructions, the Reserve Force is incorporating a Billet Based Activation (BBA) posture along with supporting Individual Augment (IA) mobilizations . Mobilizations of the future will be focused on providing strategic depth to the Navy’s warfighting capacity. This means capabilities resident in the Navy Reserve must be accessible to operational commanders for employment whenever warfighting requirements exceed the capacity of the active component. To achieve this end-state, emphasis must be placed on enhancing Billet Based Activation readiness. During this shift in focus, the Reserve force will continue to support IA missions, as outlined below.
Current mobilization requirements are managed by Commander, U.S. Fleet Forces (USFF) Command, which validates Joint and service requests for IAs to support overseas contingency operations, and other validated requirements. USFF determines Navy’s total force capacity to source IA requirements and assigns them to either the active or Reserve component to fill.
Requirements assigned to the Navy Reserve are sourced by Commander, Navy Reserve Force (CNRF) N35.
Both officer and enlisted Reserve Sailors are eligible to volunteer for IA mobilizations. Prior to volunteering, Sailors should ensure they are volunteering for a requirement for which they are fully qualified. Prior to sourcing a member to an IA requirement, CNRF N35 obtains concurrence from a Sailor’s mobilization billet chain-of-command via their assigned RPD. Volunteer activation opportunities are advertised on the ZipServe application.
The Navy Reserve Center (NRC) or Naval reserve Activity (NRA) is the Reserve Sailor’s primary point of contact once they are notified of selection for mobilization. Upon notification, Reserve Sailors should immediately contact their NRC or NRA mobilization department to begin the pre-mobilization process requirements.
ADAPTIVE MOBILIZATIONS
The Navy Reserve’s ability to rapidly mobilize the entire force during a large-scale contingency will be critical to meeting National Defense Strategy and mission success. Executing the administrative and logistic demands of a large-scale mobilization requires a process change that improves speed of Reserve activation and capacity throughput.
The Navy Reserve’s ability to rapidly mobilize the entire force during a large-scale contingency will be critical to meeting National Defense Strategy and mission success. Executing the administrative and logistic demands of a large scale mobilization requires a scalable and sustainable process which improves the speed of Reserve activation and supports processing capacity throughput.
To meet these increased demands, the Navy Reserve has contributed in the development of the Adaptive Mobilization (AM) process. AM was designed to satisfy both steady-state and mass activation requirements and encompasses all processes of distributed activation (DA), distributed mobilization (DM), distributed de-mobilization (DDM), and distributed de-activation (DDA). The AM construct was codified via NAVADMIN 013/22 and leverages capabilities at Expeditionary Combat Readiness Center (ECRC), Navy Reserve Region Readiness and Mobilization Commands (REDCOM), Navy Mobilization Processing Site (NMPS) designated Operational Reserve Units, and Navy Reserve Activities (NRA) to meet mobilization requirements more efficiently and effectively based on mission requirements. CNRF continues to work with other key stakeholders such as USFF, PERS 46, NMPSs, and ancillary support services to support Sailors, families, and mission through this transformation.
NAVY MOBILIZATION PROCESSING SITE (NMPS)
For the past few years, the vast majority of SELRES mobilizations have been conducted via a single Navy Mobilization Processing Site (NMPS); Expeditionary Combat Readiness Center (ECRC). In recent years, the number of NMPS locations has expanded to execute CNR’s intent and provide sustainable and scalable mobilization processing. NMPS provides administration, training, equipping and transportation for all Individual Augmentee (IA) personnel and also manages the mobilization of Reserve Component Sailors returning to active duty.
During activation processing, Sailors will conduct the steps necessary to transition to active duty and ensure the screening required for their assigned mission has been completed. IA activation processing normally consists of five days at the NMPS location prior to any follow-on training or forward movement to Ultimate Duty Station.
PHYSICAL READINESS
Physical fitness is a major part of Reserve Sailor readiness. Visit https://www.navyfitness.org for help along your fitness journey and to prepare for the Physical Fitness Assessment (PFA). Download the official Navy PFA app at www.applocker.navy.mil. The Physical Readiness Information Management System (PRIMS), available at www.bol.navy.mil, provides access to your official physical fitness record.
FAMILY CARE PLAN
All Sailors are required to ensure their dependents are cared for during deployments, mobilizations, temporary duty as well as at any other time during which the service member is away from home.
A family care plan helps Reserve Sailors develop a workable plan for family care, establish procedural requirements, and outline legal options. Plans are required for:
• Single parents
• Dual military couples
• Assumption of legal responsibility as sole provider for an elderly, disabled or chronically sick family member
• Sailors in a blended family who have custody of a child or children from a prior relationship need to complete a family care plan, even if they have remarried and plan to have the new spouse care for the minor child during periods of absence
• A plan may also be required for family members who have limited proficiency of the local language, or are unable to drive or otherwise gain access to basic life-sustaining facilities (e.g., food and medical care). For example, Sailors and their families who are assigned to an isolated location with a family member who has limited language or communication skills in that country of residence may require a family care plan Sailors who meet the above criteria are required to submit a new or updated family care plan to their commanding officer no later than 60 days prior to active-duty service and within 90 days under the following circumstances:
• Upon change in personal or family circumstance
• Upon birth, adoption or assumption of legal guardianship of an elderly/disabled family member
• Upon change of previous caregiver
• Upon reporting to a new duty station
Family care plans should be updated annually, in addition to your Page 2 (NAVPERS 1070/602 Dependency Application/Record of Emergency Data).
• Dual military couples must each provide a family care plan consistent with their spouse’s plan
• Both service members shall maintain a copy of their family care plan with their respective commands
• In the event that a family care plan is not or cannot be established, Navy Personnel Command will determine which service member may be separated based on the needs of the Navy
• Military mothers of newborns, including those who adopt, shall be deferred from travel away from their home station for four months following delivery. This provision is to assist the service member in developing a family care plan and to establish a pattern of childcare.
CHILDCARE
Maintaining family readiness is an important piece of a Reserve career. How your children are cared for while you are in a drilling status or on orders can be a complicated situation. Prior planning and education are critical in assisting our Reservists in gaining resources for childcare support. Ensure your Family Care Plan is up-to-date before heading out on active duty orders. Also ensure that your updated status reflects your profile’s tier group for childcare priority.
Learn more about assistance and resources available to Reserve members through the Military One Source website at: www.militaryonesource.mil/family-relationships/parenting-and-children/childcare/child-care-the-essentials
MEDICAL READINESS
Warfighting readiness is paramount; mobilization readiness is the basic requirement for SELRES service.” Navy Reserve Sailors must be considered deployable in order to meet mobilization and warfighting readiness requirements. In addition, DoD policy states that to maximize the lethality and readiness of the joint force, all Service members are expected to be deployable. Service members who are considered non-deployable for more than 12 consecutive months will be evaluated for:
• A retention determination by the Department of the Navy.
• As appropriate, referral into the Integrated Disability Evaluation System (IDES) (DoD Instruction (DoDI) 1332.18), or initiation of processing for administrative separation (DoDI 1332.14 or DoDI 1332.30). This policy on retention determinations for non-deployable service members does not supersede the policies and processes concerning referral to the IDES or the initiation of administrative separation proceedings found in these issuances.
Commander, Navy Reserve Forces Command (CNRFC) coordinates with (REDCOMS) and (NRCS) staffs to contact Reserve members directly who have been initially identified as being non-deployable for greater than 12 months. Guidance and instruction is provided to staffs and members per OPNAV instruction 1300.20, NAVADMIN 239/18 and respective MILPERSMAN guidance.
The Deployability Assessment, Assignment Program presented in NAVADMIN 239/18 introduced new rules for medical deployability. Regular communication and accomplishment of medical requirements is now mandated for retention in the Navy Reserve.
The basics of medical readiness rest on communication. The Reserve Sailors who complete medical requirements on time each year are the ones who stop by and talk with their medical representatives on a regular basis. Ongoing conversation about upcoming requirements allow Sailors to be ahead of deficiency lists on mandatory tasks such as immunizations, blood draws, etc. The top two requirements are to complete your annual Electronic Periodic Health Assessment (ePHA) and dental exam. Don’t wait until you’re on a deficiency list. Make a calendar, schedule an appointment, take ownership of your own medical readiness. Your readiness requirements can be fulfilled at your NRC, through a local Military Treatment Facility, or through Reserve Health Readiness Program (RHRP) group events at your NRC or during an in-clinic appointment. Dental Class 3 treatment is also available through the RHRP program. Additionally, drill reschedules and/or additional drills may be authorized to complete medical requirements. When returning from a mobilization, and as required, complete a post deployment health reassessment (PDHRA) within 90-180 days. This requirement is equally as important as completing your annual ePHA or dental exam.
The ePHA is standardized throughout the DoD as the preeminent document to disclose medical conditions. Discussing changes in your medical condition with your medical department representative is critical to meeting the Navy’s expectations for deployability. Even if your condition was documented years ago, it doesn’t excuse your obligation to report the condition annually on the ePHA for as long as the condition persists. If a new condition occurs, you must notify your medical department representative in person or via email within 60 days. The sooner a change is reported, the more time can be dedicated to managing injuries and generating faster injury case adjudication.
If you should happen to find yourself in an injury case status, such as Medical Retention Review (MRR), Line of Duty (LOD), Temporarily Not Physically or Dentally Qualified (TNPQ/TNDQ), you must, at a minimum, provide an update of your condition to your medical department representative monthly. Failure to do so may lead to the issuing of Administrative Unsatisfactory (Admin U) drill adjudication. Accumulating 9 Admin U’s or Unexcused Absences could lead to ADSEP. If needed, work with your unit and NRA leadership to reschedule drills for required appointments to maintain a fully ready status.
You are the reason corpsmen are at the NRC, with individual readiness the primary mission. It’s the medical department’s responsibility to provide the highest class of medical care and support to the Reserve team. Senior medical leadership is looking at how to better accomplish the mission with excellence. The Reserve Medical Administration Technician (RMAT) NEC is now required for medical professionals serving at NRCs.
LINE OF DUTY HEALTHCARE
In the event that you incur or aggravate an injury, illness or disease while in a duty status, you may qualify for LOD-HC benefits. This authorizes you medical and/or dental care benefits until a military physician finds you fit for duty with no additional follow-up required, or until final disposition is determined by a Physical Evaluation Board. You may also be eligible for incapacitation pay, but it’s incumbent upon you to prove with clear and convincing evidence the amount of gross civilian earned income and any losses incurred. Notify your NRC medical department and chain of command if you feel you qualify for LOD-HC.
Line of Duty Benefits for DES
If you have an injury that originated from active component service, you may be eligible to submit an LOD-B for DES package as long as there is also a reoccurrence of the injury while in a period of qualified Reserve service. LOD-B for DES provides a path for evaluation and potential entry in the DES for qualifying Sailors that do not fit the LOD-HC benefits. LOD-B for DES benefits may include medical evaluation, separation pay, or disability retirement. LOD-B for DES requires LODI from unit CO, legal review by REDCOM JAG, and thorough medical review by REDCOM Medical Officer before adjudication by PERS-95
TRICARE
As a Reserve Sailor, you have access to medical and dental insurance in the form of TRICARE Reserve Select (healthcare) and TRICARE Dental. These insurance options are premium-based health and dental care that you can purchase to cover you and your family. As long as you’re not on orders, covered under the Transitional Assistance Management Program (TAMP), or working for the federal government in a capacity that enrolls under the Federal Employees Health Benefits program, then you can take advantage of these benefits. More information is available at https://www.tricare.mil/FormsClaims/Forms/Enrollment/TRS_TRR
To verify eligibility, visit www.mydodbenefits.dmdc.mil. You and your family members must be registered in the Defense Enrollment Eligibility Reporting System (DEERS) to be eligible for TRICARE. Visit a uniformed services identification card issuing facility to register family members. Find your nearest ID card office at: https://idco.dmdc.osd.mil/idco/
During periods of active-duty service, you and your eligible family members become eligible for the same health and dental benefits as an active-duty service member if called or ordered to service for more than 30 consecutive days. Please note that different sets of orders may not be combined to equal more than 30 days for eligibility. For example, a set of Exceptional-AT orders for 29 days with back to back ADT orders for an additional 30 days; In this case, neither set qualifies for TRICARE entitlements. All orders must stand on their own and be greater than 30 days to qualify for eligibility.
• If enrolled in TRICARE Dental Program, you will be automatically disenrolled and begin using active-duty dental benefits
• If eligible family members are enrolled in TDP prior to activation, coverage will continue at a reduced premium (if not enrolled, eligible family members may enroll at any time)
You may qualify for early TRICARE eligibility if you are issued delayed-effective-date active-duty orders for more than 30 days in support of a contingency operation. Eligibility begins on the date your orders are issued, or 180 days before you report to active duty, whichever is later. During this pre-activation period, you qualify for benefits as though activated. TAMP provides 180 days of premium-free transitional health care benefits after regular TRICARE benefits end. You may receive TAMP after serving on active duty for more than 30 consecutive days in support of a contingency operation.
If activated in support of a contingency operation, you will immediately receive TAMP benefits for 180 days. TAMP begins on the first day after your active duty service ends. Family members are also eligible for TAMP. If activated, but not in support of a Contingency Operation you are not eligible for TAMP and any active-duty medical benefits end the day after your last day of active duty.
LEGAL READINESS
The Navy’s legal assistance program promotes the increased readiness of active duty and Reserve Sailors and enhances the morale and quality of life for military personnel, dependents and other eligible clients through the provision of free, effective attorney advice, outreach programs, referral services and vigorous preventive law activities. If you’re on active duty for 30 days or more, then you are entitled to legal assistance. As resources permit, Reserve Sailors on active duty for single periods of 29 days or less may be provided legal assistance in emergency cases, or prior to events like a deployment or mobilization for 30 days or more.
Unless on orders or preparing for a mobilization, Reserve Sailor’s are not typically eligible for legal services. If you know about an upcoming deployment or are planning to volunteer for one in the future, talk with your unit leadership and NOSC staff to find out when you can meet with a legal services representative.
Upon receipt of orders, Reserve personnel identified for mobilization to active duty (even for periods under 30 days) are eligible for pre-mobilization legal counseling and assistance. Pre-mobilization assistance typically consists of drafting or updating wills, advance medical directives and powers of attorney.
Talk with your unit leadership to obtain information on legal assistance close to your NOSC. Reserve Sailors identified for mobilization may seek help terminating home leases, staying (delaying) civil court proceedings, or help with other issues related to rights under the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (SCRA) at scra.dmdc.osd.mil/ and the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act at www.esgr.mil/USERRA/USERRA-for-Service-Members.
Each NRA should have a mobilization readiness program. Whether that is a Deployment Readiness Training weekend or individual unit readiness, look for available times to take care of your legal readiness.
Pre-deployment services are given priority. Engaging with a legal assistance attorney to determine your specific legal needs before deployment can avoid unforeseen hassles and challenges before they happen. Coordinate in advance of your needs so there is not a rush when time is short and focus needs to be elsewhere.
Every Reserve Sailor is encouraged to be ready — in all facets — for short notice deployments. Time and legal representative availability is finite. Early planning and communication with your family and leadership is crucial to maintaining a ready to fight Reserve force. Our goal is for every Reserve Sailor to be legally ready. The more prepared you are, the more you can focus on the mission. For more information contact your local legal representative, mobilization officer or visit: https://go.usa.gov/x7SuR.