Disclosure: This data is 10 years old.
In AFRes, the ‘Sanctuary’ zone is from 18-20 years worth of Active Duty points. I imagine it is the same across all branches.
If a member gets to 17.5 years worth of AD points, the beauracracy kicks in to scrutinize any orders offered to member, except Annual Tour, ADT, and drill.
The reason isn’t to deny an Active Duty retirement, because the Reserve Components don’t pay for retirements. The reason is that if a member is on the right type of orders, and crosses 18 yrs AD points, the member can claim the Sanctuary protection, and stay on active status until reaching 20 yrs AD points, followed by mandatory retirement. It is those (up to) 2 years worth of days that come out of the AFRC O&M budget. That’s what gets the O-6 fired.
In my unit, the one officer and one enlisted, who were 9/11-mobilized into the Sanctuary zone, claimed that protection, and were then transferred to Active Duty, i.e. out of the unit and out of AFRC. At 20 yrs AD points, they were each retired.
In this unit, there were also about 10 officers and 8-10 enlisted who were able to reach 20 yrs AD points, without having to claim Sanctuary protection. How, you might ask? Thank you for asking. After our one year activation, Active Air Force needed our aircraft and the crews to operate them. They offered consecutive full-time orders, eventually 12 months at a pop, to all takers.
When members approached the Sanctuary zone, they were put on the watch list. In order for AFRC to approve these individuals’ orders, the member had to sign a Sanctuary Zone Protections waiver and Statement of Understanding. Basically promising to NOT claim Sanctuary while on these orders. Sign the waiver, get the Mandays. Do it enough, you climb right through the 20 yrs of AD points. After that, AFRC is not liable for any O & M funding to get you to 20 yrs points, because you’re already there, or beyond there. The member can retire and join the check a month club, or continue in the Reserves.
I have no idea if the NavRes has anything like this waiver, or if AFRC is still willing to play the game. It is truly Win-Win, because the RC will not be liable for the O & M funds, since the member signed a waiver. And the Reserve Components never fund retirements-that come out of another DoD bucket.