Received Your 20 Year Letter? You’re Subject to a Retention Review

Army Reserve and Army National Guard Soldiers in the Troop Program Unit (TPU), who have 20 qualifying years for retirement, are subject to a retention review every two years. The reserve components want to maintain the most qualified Soldiers. If you’re not selected for retention in the TPU, you’ll be facing transfer to another control group.

If you meet these criteria, you’re eligible for QRB review:

1. You’ve officially received your “Notice of Eligibility for Retired Pay at 60” letter.

2. You previously received a favorable decision by the QRB, but your commander requested that you be reviewed again.

3. The QRB allowed you to stay in the TPU, with the caveat that you be reviewed again within a year.

Soldiers subject to the QRB, for completing 20 good years for retirement, generally get reviewed every two years. Both “2” and “3” above are when a Soldier’s record could be looked at sooner than 2 years.

If you meet these next criteria, you’re not eligible for retention review by the QRB:

1. You officially don’t have 20 good years for retirement.

2. You’re within 9 months of your 60th birthday.

3. You’re not MOS qualified for your position and rank within your unit.

4. You’re barred from re-enlistment.

5. You’re suspended from favorable actions.

6. You’ve been promoted less than a year of the QRB’s convening.

7. You’re a Command Sergeant Major in a specific CSM position listed in AR 135-205.

8. You have more than 18 years of active duty under your belt and are eligible for sanctuary.

9. You’re serving in the Active Guard Reserve (AGR), and are subject to the Qualitative management Program.

Notification process:

Your commander and you will receive a packet. This’ll include a letter informing you that the QRB is considering your records.

If the QRB decides to not retain you, which control group do you want them to transfer you to? You could select transfer to the Retired Reserves, or to the Individual Ready Reserves (reinforcement). If the board decides against your retention in the Troop Program Unit, they’ll transfer you to the control group that you select.

Both your commander and you will be given an opportunity to provide statements. You could also choose to not provide any statements.

If the board decides to remove you from the Troop Program Unit, your transfer has to happen no later than 90 days after the board’s decision. The board could extend this up to 180 days if your transfer would have an adverse impact on your unit’s mission.

An example of this would be if you’re on deployment, and you’re crucial to that deployment. The board would extend your transfer date until a reasonable time after you get back. This is as long as it doesn’t extend past 180 days of their decision.

Another justification for getting you extended up to 180 days is if your immediate transfer isn’t in the best interest of your unit. There are other examples, specific to your unit and you, that might get you a shot at getting this extension.

If you’re dual status, like a military technician, you can request to remain in your current TPU assignment. Conditions apply though, details are listed in AR 135-205.

If the QRB votes to remove you from the TPU, you’re disqualified from participating in a TPU in the future.

Reference:

AR 135-205

Source by Travis Hill