Originally Posted by
Nebbie
Kiku,
When my recall is up, I will need 2 yrs and 10 months to get to 20. If, BIG IF, I somehow get a one year extension which puts me over 18yrs, do you think the AF will honor sanctuary? How do you "invoke" sanctuary? Is there paperwork involved or would a one year extension be a 'de facto' 3 year extension to 20?
I hit 20+ as a traditional reservist, not through the rated recall program so your mileage may vary.
After I hit 18 yrs, initially I could only get orders for 179 days and had to fill out a sanctuary waiver (as spelled out in the regs, but ever changing format and stipulations). Just before I hit 20 AD, they let you do a couple of 179 sanctuary waivers at a time.
I got to 20 and then continued to string sets of orders together which got me to 3 yrs TIG and I retired 1 Sep 10. The 3 yrs TIG was important for me, as I enlisted in Feb 1980 until the Final Pay system. Had I not gotten 3 yrs TIG, I would have been collecting O-4 retirement pay rather than O-5.
The magic number to reach is 7305 AD days on your PCARS; they count leap years in the 20 yr calculation. Also, after reaching 20, your IDTs and other non-AD points count toward retirement pay. In my case, I had ~21 1/2 yrs AD but am getting paid for 23 yrs 4 mos due to all of my drill points.
DO NOT invoke sanctuary unless you have to. The reason for this is once YOU invoke sanctuary, you will get to 20 but no further. If you decide you want to stay in past 20, you can't if you invoke sanctuary.
I would take any extension into sanctuary that I could and then wait and see what happens after that; if they want to end your orders and things don't look good, then I'd invoke sanctuary. But I wouldn't push that button unless I had to.