Limited recall of retired personnel

Intent

To limit the circumstances under which a retired or discharged enlisted or officer may be recalled to service.

Proposal

When the legislature declares a national security emergency, the military may recall retired or discharged enlisted and officers to service for an advisory or training role.

Recalled personnel shall be discharged from service no later than 30 days after the legislature declares the end of the national security emergency.

The military may discharge recalled personnel at any time they are determined to be non-essential to the mission, incapable of performing their duties, or for other reasons.

Discharged personnel shall not be recalled to service a second time for the same national security emergency.

Recalled personnel who are eligible for active duty service in accordance with military regulations may volunteer for such service beyond an advisory or training role, but are still considered recalled personnel and shall be discharged within 30 days of the end of the national security emergency, or earlier for any reason determined by the military, and may not be recalled a second time for the same national security emergency.

Recalled personnel shall be paid and receive benefits equal to current pay and benefits of personnel of the same rank. Recalled discharged personnel who are eligible and volunteer for active duty service accrue time served towards retirement as if their service was uninterrupted.

No enlisted or officer may retire from the military during a national security emergency.

Discussion

An enlisted or officer who has retired or was discharged from service should not have to worry about being recalled to service for arbitrary reasons. When the legislature declares a national security emergency, all retired and discharged personnel know that they may be recalled to service and they know the scope of their service will be limited to advising and training active duty personnel.

Recalled personnel who are eligible and capable of doing more, and want to do more, may volunteer for active duty service. However, this must be optional for them and even if they do volunteer, they must still be discharged within 30 days of the end of the national security emergency. If the volunteer was previously discharged from service, the volunteer shall accrue the time served during the recall to count towards retirement.