The Navy Reserve this month imposed up-or-out rules on sailors in the Individual Ready Reserve. These caps, already in effect for drilling reservists and active-duty sailors, will trim the ranks of reservists who aren't cutting it.
But the rules also threaten thousands of good IRR sailors because Navy Reserve rules bar them from advancement.
There are 37,000 sailors on the active service pool of the IRR, none of whom can advance. They don't drill or get paid, but they can volunteer to spend two weeks on active duty annually and are eligible for mobilization. They accrue retirement points by completing correspondence courses.
Among that pool are 24,822 sailors E-4 and below, with third classes making up the lion's share. Many of them have been working for years toward a reserve retirement, trying to balance Navy service with civilian lives in areas where there is no Navy Operational Support Center. Now that work will be for nothing, as they will be squeezed out under the new high-year-tenure rules, even though they never have been allowed to advance.
Although the Navy Reserve is offering nearly 800 waivers for petty officers affected, that doesn't go nearly far enough.
The Navy Reserve in fairness should provide all current IRR sailors the opportunity for advancement. There should also be a push to help sailors join voluntary training units, which now is the only way IRR sailors are eligible for promotion. More sailors are expected to leave the service this year, so changes are needed to help those who want to continue their careers in the reserve.
Once Navy officials imposed up-or-out rules on IRR sailors, it's only fair that the sailors affected should have the opportunity to move up.
