Army G-1 Chief: IRR Key to Meeting Manpower Needs

Since hostilities began with the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, The Army has leaned heavily on the Individual Ready Reserve, the pool of former active-duty and reserve soldiers who still have service obligations to fulfill. As of May 11, 59,146 IRR soldiers remain on the rolls, Lt. Gen. Michael D. Rochelle, the Army’s personnel (G-1) chief, told members of the Senate Armed Services personnel subcommittee during a May 20 hearing. Of that number, 13,650 have been mobilized since September 11, 2001, with 10,841 reporting to duty as ordered. Among them, 9,012 have served tours of Afghanistan or Iraq at least once, Rochelle told the Senate panel. "The Individual Ready Reserve is a critical element that assists the Army in meeting unit readiness," Rochelle said. Roughly five months after they enter the IRR, troops muster for 10 days of new instruction and refresher training in their former military occupational specialty (MOS). They must muster once a year as long as they remain on IRR.