Army drawdown: More early outs for junior enlisted

soldiers
By Jim Tice, Staff writer

12:08 p.m. EST December 16, 2015

Twoearlyoutprograms,onevoluntaryandoneinvoluntary,havebeenreauthorizedforcertaincategoriesof
RegularArmyenlistedsoldiersaspartoftheservicesdrawdownstrategyfor2016.
Bothprogramshavebeenineffectsince2014,andgenerallyaretargetedatsoldierswhodeclinetoextend
theircareers,orwhoareinspecialtiesthatwillbecomeoverstrengthastheArmygetssmaller.Herearethe
details:
(Photo:StaffSgt.WarrenW.Wright
Jr./Army)

VoluntaryEarlySeparationProgram
Anoptionthatauthorizesearlyoutsofupto180daysforshorttimerswhochoosenottoreenlistorextend,

andwhorequestearlyseparationforthepurposeofacceptingcivilianemployment.
Thepromiseofacivilianjobmustbefullydocumented,includingverificationfromthefutureemployer.Therequestedseparationdatecanbenoearlier
than10daysbeforethestartofthecivilianjob.
AsecondoptionunderthisprogramistargetedatsoldierswhoareinanoverstrengthMOS(Seethelatestin/outcalls
(/story/military/benefits/pay/2015/09/28/newreupbonusesandreclasscallstakeeffectoct9nco/72748682/)),andwhoaredeniedreenlistmentunder
thePrecisionRetentionprogram.Suchsoldiersareauthorizedtorequestseparationupto90daysinadvanceoftheircontractualexpirationtermof
service,orETS.
Separationsunderthisprogrammustbeapprovedbyacommanderwithspecialcourtsmartialconveningauthority,orhigher.Typicallythiswillbea
soldiersbrigade,regimentalordetachedbattalioncommander.
Soldierswhobelievetheyareeligibleforavoluntaryearlyseparationshouldcontacttheirlocalcareercounselor.
InvoluntaryEarlySeparationProgram

Thisprogramappliestosoldierswhodeclinetoreenlistorextend,andwho:
Areassignedtoadeployingunit,andwhowillhavelessthansixmonthsremainingtoETSwhentheirunitarrivesoverseasforanamedcontingency
operation,suchasInherentResolve,theongoingoperationsagainsttheIslamicStategroupinIraqandSyria.
UnderArmypolicy,suchsoldierswillnotdeploywiththeunit,andwillhavetheirETSadjustedtobeascloseto180daysinadvanceoftheirunitsarrival
overseasaspossible.
AreassignedtoaKorearotationalunitandwhohaveanETSthatoccursduringtherotationplus90days.Thesesoldierswillbesubjecttoinvoluntary
separationiftheycannotusefullybeemployedbyanotherunitathomestation.
AsoldiersadjustedETSwillbeascloseto180daysinadvanceoftheirunitsarrivalinKoreaaspossiblewithoutaffectingArmyreadiness.
Areassignedtoadeactivatingunit,cannotbeusefullyemployedbyanotherunitathomestation,andwhofailtoreenlistorextend.TheadjustedETS
willbeasclosetothedeactivationdateoftheirunitaspossible.
Theserviceofsoldiersreleasedunderthesetwoprogramswillbecharacterizedashonorableforthepurposesofpostservicebenefits,andwillbe
conductedfortheconvenienceofthegovernment,andthesoldierswillbeconsideredtohavefulfilledtheirtermofenlistment.
Soldierswhodeclinetoreenlistorextend,andwhoaresubjecttoinvoluntaryseparation,cannotbeforcedtosellbackannualleave.
Dependingonleaveaccrued,andasoldierselectiontotaketransitionleave,commandershavetheflexibilitytoadjustthesoldiersETSdatebyoneto
threemonths,butneverbeyondthecontractedseparationdate,accordingtoinstructionsissuedbytheHumanResourcesCommandonDec.9.
Additionally,unusedportionsofenlistmentorreenlistmentbonuseswillnotberecoupedbytheArmy.
Separationpayisnotauthorizedforsoldierswholeaveserviceearlyforcivilianemployment.Soldiersinothercategoriesmayqualifyiftheyhaveatleast
six,butfewerthan15yearsofservice.
Fordetailedinformationabouttheseprograms,soldiersshouldconsulttheirlocalcareercounselor.
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