AF asking/forcing me to come back after VSP?
 

I am a 2014 VSP recipient that separated on Dec 31, 2014 and subsequently entered the IRR. I recently received a letter from AFRC informing me that I would be receiving orders soon to report to Patrick AFB for a "Mandatory Muster" in May.

What is this all about? Has anyone else out there who has received the VSP been forced to attend one of these "Mandatory Musters"?

Will I be paid for this? If I have to drop a 3-4 day trip at my airline job to attend this I will definitely lose a lot of money.

Well, that's an interesting development.

Well, seems like the Air Force isn't letting you go. So many promises. And they wonder why everyone is leaving. Dumb *.....I'm currently looking into the truck driving company, you know the one from Top Gun......LOL...The civilian thing isn't the military thing. Good luck.

So there's a ton of confusing information about the IRR. Enlisted members generally have an 8 year obligation in their original contract, which means if they don't re-enlist or do SELRES for the balance of 8 cumulative years, they have to serve out that balance in the IRR. As far as officers are concerned, the information is contradictory. Some people say officers are ALWAYS at the behest of the military, meaning you're in the IRR forever by default. Others suggest they have the same 8 year threshold of combined AD/SELRES time before they're clear of the IRR. And yet, there's been stories about folks getting passed over in the IRR (everybody does effectively) and that demarcating a release from it after being twice passed over. But that would go against the idea you are forever beholden to the IRR as an officer.

In the OP's case, the situation is different because the cat got separation pay. That one is from my understanding, an additional 2 or 3 years in the IRR. My presumption being, that is on top of the 8 year original contract.

So, what to do? Resign your commission. That's where you'll have to call ARPC and will require a letter and paperwork. As opposed to what people think, a DD214 is NOT a discharge from the military, merely a release from active duty. There is a Certificate of Discharge from the US Armed Forces that actually represents the legal release from any further military obligation. Military pensioners for instance, are forever beholden to military recall, though for realistic logistical reasons are seldom invol'd.

The problem for the OP is I think they won't let you resign your commission with a balance due on IRR incurred due to accepting separation pay. Once that is done I believe you'd be allowed to resign your commission and be forever free from the military if that is your intent.

As to losing out on a trip, Jeeeeesus Jaywalking Christ man, you want fries with that too? Pull a day of mil-drop on the schedule and be done with it. SW will reshuffle ya. You're a first year guy I understand that, but you're not losing a ton of money. I understand anything is a ton of money when you're making regional pay, but you should have thought about doing your homework when it came to separating, plus you're sitting on VSP money. Sack ***up Brotato chips.

Yes, it's only 150 dollar check for muster and travel is on you, unless you're gonna claim personal hardship to get out of it or ask for a date push to the right, I suggest you just mildrop a day on the back or front end (your legal right, SW ain't gonna say **) for travel plus the muster day, and get it done. Research the resignation of commission option and exercise as soon as possible but beware, once you do that, you're done for good. No SELRES for you, ever. Last thing we indentured servants wanna hear is you coming on here whining about wanting a Reserve gig to get you through a furlough or seniority displacements due to merger/stapling 10 years down the road.

Good luck to ya.

Have you called AFRC yet to find out what it is about?

I took the VSP in 2007 and have some experience with the mandatory muster. They basically wanted everyone to attend once a year at your local Air Force Base. I blew it off the first few times (not completely on purpose, my forwarding address was different than my new home address) I then received some certified mail basically threatening to bring me back to active duty as punishment for some form of dereliction of duty. I sent a letter apologizing and got in contact with someone in charge of the IRR. It wasn't quite as serious as they made it out to be, but they wanted me to attend the next muster. The muster seems to just be some sort of head count and make sure they still have your current contact info. They sat us in a big auditorium and covered some good information about veteran benefits, VA benefits, etc. It was actually fairly informative and was glad I went. Not sure where you're living, but they usually give you a few other options/locations if the date they send you doesn't work with your schedule. I think they gave me 3 different options. So if it doesn't work with your schedule you can try calling and trying for a different date. You do get some pay for it, but it'll basically just pay your gas bill to drive there.

I did one as the AD assisting and briefing. It is was like a day/day and half and on the active duty side it was to test if we needed to activate the IRR could we. They did it on a weekend not to interfere with work so you might be able to call and tell them you are scheduled to work that weekend and get reassigned to a different muster. If you are good you might be able to push it off for the couple of years you have in the IRR.

Perhaps this will help you:

https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/10/12319

RB

It sounds like you simply did not read what you were obligated to when you joined the IRR.

So, whatever happened with this?