This email came down a few days later from the Medical Corps to address the issue. I still have to think there is a catch that will somehow come back to haunt me when I try to get out in 8 years.
1. The Congress in the National Defense Authorization Act of 2005 required all the services to convert all officers on the Active List to Regular status. The original date was 14 June for the conversion, but this slipped to 11 November due to issues on the line side. This was not an Army issue and I am unsure why the Congress made it into law.
2. Any officer on active duty can be involuntarily retained on active duty to meet the needs of the Army. This is independent of the type of commission that they hold. Since the Army can retain anyone involuntarily there is no advantage nor disadvantage to having an RA or USAR commission when it comes to being involuntarily retained. At this time, I know of no plans for stop-loss for physicians nor plans for involuntary retiree recall.
3. The differences between USAR and RA commissions are significant in terms of benefits to the officer with an RA commission. USAR officers must retire at 20 years or leave the Army at age 60. If they do not have enough years for retirement at age 60 they get no pro-rated pension. RA officers may stay for 30 years, have to leave at age 62, and can get a pro-rated pension if they reach age 62 and don't have 20 years of service. Any officer who turns down RA must leave active duty at the end of their current obligation. This prevents anyone not in RA status from signing bonuses, applying for GME, etc. as all result in extension beyond the end of their current obligation.
4. Any retired officer can be recalled to active duty involuntarily based on the needs of the Army. It does not matter the type of commission the officer held at retirement. The retiree recall categories are based on the length of time since retirement, age, and whether it was a medical retirement. So there is no advantage nor disadvantage to one retirement over the other.
5. On the bonus issue, the Army medical leadership has been fighting for years to increase the bonuses. The problem is that we are tied to the other services and that there has to be triservice agreement for bonuses. The MC leadership will continue to push for increased bonuses for our physicians.
6. The Branch Chiefs have been putting out this information for years. Since the passage of the legislation, I have been putting out that it was coming. The bottom line that we have been saying for years is that there are no advantages to turning down RA.
