How is the Navy Contract goes?

[Beath]

My son signed a contract in the Navy for Eight Years in which his 5 years will be Active Duty and the remaining 3 years will be Reserve.

According to what I have read , all the first time Millitary enlistees will have to serve for a minimum of 8 years. I stand to be corrected if I am wrong. That's why my son's contract happened to be 8 years.

What I wanted to know is that when the time that my son finishes his 5 years Active Duty, what will happen now? He has still 3 years more in the service being a reserve. What will he be doing in the Navy as a reserve? Will he be required to be a Reserve for that remaining number of years that he still have? Or during this time, Is this will be the time for him to be qualified for re-enlistment again?

Sorry for having many questions.

I would be grateful for your informations and knowledge regarding this matter.

Thanks!

[Hoppi aka Angie]

Good morning.

At the end of your son's contact he may be able to reenlist if he is approved via PTS http://www.npc.navy.mil/CareerInfo/PerformtoServe/

If he does not want to reenlist in the Navy he can go into the reserves doing what job he came in the Navy for, after the 8 years time is up. He can get out or stay in the reserves.

You are correct everyone who comes in the Navy comes in for 8 years total time.

[NavyIsHisLife]

Good Evening Hoppi,

When you say that everyone who comes to the Navy comes in for 8 years total time, I am wondering if you are referring to reserve Navy? My Son's 1st enlistment was for 3 years and he re-ups now every 4 years. After his first 3 years were up, he could leave the Navy. So I am a little confused about your statement.

He has been re-upping and now has 12 years in and now that he just was pinned CPO, and just bought a house, I think he'll be a lifer or by the time he makes MC(Master Chief is as far as an uncommissioned officer can go, I believe), he'll stay in as long as he likes what he is doing. And so far he really likes what he is doing.

His contract was for 3 years and each one after that is for 4 years. Did your Sailor have to sign an 8 year contract? Or did he come out of Annapolis and thatis where the 8 year contract comes in?

Hoping to hear from you,,
Tori4Josh

[Hoppi aka Angie]

When Sailors come in to the Navy, their first contract is for a total of 8 years. Be it some active and some reserve time. IF they are allowed to reenlsit, they reenlist in the Navy. After the first 8 years are over with, the Sailor does not have to go into the reserves if they do not want to (after they seperate).

Your Sailors orginal contract sounds like it was 3 years active duty and 7 years reserve time.

I have no info on the time Officers are required to serve. I am an Enlisted Sailor.

[Nancy (aka nwig)]

Another possibility is to not do any active reserve time and to simply be in the "Individual Ready Reserve" or IRR after his 5 years active duty. This is where he would simply be on a list that the Navy holds where he *could* be called up again if absolutely needed (some Army IRR's did get called to go to Iraq initially, so it can happen). But most of those in the IRR go about a regular civilian life for the remaining time of the 8 year obligation.

[Barbara (Derek's Mom)]

This is what one of my sons is doing. He signed up for 4 years, got out and has to be a reserve for 4 years. He and his family can move anywhere, do whatever, he's just "on-call" you might say. As far as I know the Navy has never had to call up any reserves.

[Hoppi aka Angie]

Small correct, the Navy is ALWAYS calling up the reserves to be deployed to support the War.

[Karen (KC's mom)]

Oh, so it is actually 5 years active and 3 years Reserve. I thought it to be 4yrs Active and 4yrs Reserve.

Thanks for all the shared info here.

Karen in CA.

[Nancy (aka nwig)]

It depends on what your particular Sailor's contract is for. Some are for 4, 5, or 6 years of Active duty and the remaining 4, 3, or 2 years (respectively) to be served as either active or inactive reserve status.

[formersailor]

If your son is going to be active for five years, he will go into what they call inactive reserves. He has to be available for a reactivation into the Navy. If the Navy needs him, he will be reactivated into the military. Thats why it is 8 years total.

[dyeshome]

our son is 4 and 4

[Anna-Andrew's Mom!]

Hi, My son's contract was 4 with 2 reserve totaling 6 years, with a sign on bonus after completing A and C Schools and getting the job he signed on for. I think every enlistment contract is very different.

[Karalyn]

I believe all branches of the military tack on a couple years of inactive reserve duty to all contracts. My husband (AF) had 2 years of inactive reserve duty after retiring after 24 years of active service, and my daughter (Army) had 2 years after serving her 4 years of Active duty.

It doesn't really mean anything for his daily life. Won't have to go to monthly drills or anything like that. As for him qualifying for re-enlistment, that usually depends on weather the Navy needs sailors to fill the rating slots. If they are short on manpower it should be easy for him to re-enlist, if they aren't it would be harder.