Make the transition smoothly to Reserves when your time in service ends.
The Military Reserves are an integral part of the military forces of the United States. Service in the Reserves is a way for many to continue to serve with distinction, while functioning for the most part as a civilian. Because of this, many active duty personnel make the decision every year to transition from their active duty postings to life as a reservist. Making the change requires a bit of effort on the serving careerist's part, with each branch of the service having its own precise methods of completing the switch. Still, there is a common procedure that all service members must follow across the board in order to be accepted into either the Active Reserve, where the reservists are required to drill with a unit, or the Inactive Reserve, where they are not.
Instructions
Officer Transition
1. Speak to an Officer Transition Assistant (TA) about eligibility for transfer from active duty to reservist status. Discuss the benefits and responsibilities of reservist status, and the differences between belonging to a training unit versus an inactive unit.
2. Meet with the TA to begin the transition process. Present your service records and then fill out the required transition documents that allow for your assignment to a unit at an Operational Support Center. This support center will serve as your home base for any activities required of you as a reservist. Choose one nearest the area you intend to reside in after leaving the service.
3. Leave active duty on your separation date. Upon leaving active duty, you will be under the command structure of your service's Reserves.
Enlisted Transition
4. Speak with an Enlisted Transition Assistant from the Career Transition Office about eligibility and benefits of transitioning from active duty to reservist status.
5. Apply with the Reserve Component (RC) of your service for transition directly from active duty to the Reserves. Present your service records during the application process. As enlisted personnel, you will be required to apply with the RC using the Perform to Serve System (PTS). The PTS system is a method of rating your service time. Reserve service requires a set amount of service time on active duty before you can transition to the Reserves.
6. Speak to a Command Career Counselor for help in completing the requirement for transition to the reserves under the PTS system.
7. Get approval under the PTS system for reservist transition. A quota system exists for transitions that includes time served, service conditions and other specific factors, all of which add up to a total. If you meet the total, then you may be eligible for the transition. If approved your assigned status is either as reservist only, or as active duty/reservist.
8. Choose your next duty assignment. Pick an Operational Support Center if you're approved as reservist only. Choose an active duty posting or Operational Support Center if you're approved as active duty/reservist.
9. Wait for your next duty assignment. If selected for an active duty assignment, you will have to wait for the next duty rotation before applying for reservist transition again as the assignment takes precedence. If reservist only, or you receive your reservist assignment when approved as active duty/reservist, you can continue with the transition.
10. Leave active duty service and transition to reservist status under your chosen Operation Support Center.
