Army to Discharge RC Non-Participants

Army Reserve and National Guard Soldiers who do not attend required weekend training will soon face streamlined discharge procedures. In the past, reserve-component Soldiers who did not attend the required number of battle assemblies were sometimes transferred into the Individual Ready Reserve. Now they may be expeditiously discharged from the Army and could lose benefits, according to G1 officials. Under the new policy, notification will be sent to a non-participating Soldier, who will have 30 days to respond. If the Soldier does not respond and return for training, officials said a board will review his file to determine the type of discharge to be administered. The abbreviated notification procedures for separation will be phased in regionally over a 12-month period, beginning with the East Coast. An estimated 15,000 RC Soldiers are currently not participating in required weekend training, officials said.