Partial Mobilization Questions and Answers

1. The President's Executive Order has an opening paragraph and 9 sections, what do they each mean?

The opening paragraph references a Declaration of National Emergency "by Reason of Certain Terrorist Attacks..." A Declaration of National Emergency is required to invoke Partial Mobilization and some other 400 laws that allow the Government to deal with emergencies.

Section 1 invokes Partial Mobilization of the Ready Reserve under the provisions of section 12302, 10 USC authorizing the Secretaries of the Military Departments at the direction of the Secretary of Defense (SecDef) to order to active duty up to 1,000,000 members of the Ready Reserve (Selected Reserve, Individual Ready Reserve, and Inactive National Guard) without their consent, for a period not to exceed 24 consecutive months.

Section 2 provides for Stop-loss by suspending laws, allowing the Services to exceed their end-strength and senior grade caps, retain uniformed members beyond retirement or other separation authority.

Section 3 authorizes the Service Secretaries to recall retired officers and enlisted to active duty.

Section 4 delegates Stop-loss authority from Sections 2 and 3 to the Secretary of Defense to administer.

Section 5 is Stop-loss for the Coast Guard.

Section 6 authorizes the Secretary of Defense to delegate this authority to his Service Secretaries. In coordination with the President of the United States (POTUS) the SecDef gives each Service a strength cap not to exceed for mobilized Reservists.

Section 7 ensures members called to active duty are paid should there be a delay in passing of appropriation bills.

Sections 8 and 9 close the EO and make the order effective 14 September 2001.

2. A Partial Mobilization has not been called since the Gulf War. Why wasn't a Presidential Call-Up ordered, as was the case for Bosnia and Kosovo?

Use of a Presidential Call-Up, section 12304, 10 USC, is limited by subsection (c) of that law to mean: No unit or member of the Reserves may be ordered under this section to perform functions assigned to the National Guard (Sec. 12406. National Guard in Federal service: call, 10 USC) unless such duty is in response to an emergency involving a use or threatened use of a weapon of mass destruction. Also, Partial Mobilization affords the Secretary of Defense greater flexibility and transition as the situation evolves. In the past we've had EO for mobilization limited to operations in a specific geographical region and for direct support of operations in that region. This Partial-Mob EO has no geographical limitations.

3. What is the scope of the Partial Mobilization?

Partial Mobilization authorizes up to 1,000,000 Ready Reserve units and individuals (NG and Reserve) at any one time to serve on active duty for not more than 24 consecutive months. The POTUS invokes this law and delegates authority to the Secretary of Defense and Secretary of Transportation (with regard to the Coast Guard) to exercise prudent and wise use of the authority and to further delegate authorities to the Service Secretaries. The SecDef in coordination with the POTUS delegated authority to the Service Secretaries with regard to their Service with caps on the number of Reservists each could activate. A total call up not to exceed 35,000 was apportioned to the Services as follow: Army, 10,000; Air Force, 13,000; Navy, 3,000; Marines, 7,500; and Coast Guard, 2,000.

4. How many of the Army's 10,000 are Army Reserve and National Guard?

The DCSOPS determines the units and individuals required from each component to meet CINC and contingency needs based upon specific capabilities and readiness considerations.

5. Will the full 35,000 Reservists be activated and could the number grow beyond that?

The Services assessed CINC requirements in determining the participation requirements of their RC. Likely, the full 35,000 cap will not be reached. However, should the situation change and additional Reservists be required to support a CINC requirement, the Service Secretary would justify the request to the SecDef; the Joint Staff would validate the requirement and the SecDef could reapportion the 35,000 among the Services or would advise the POTUS that he intended to revise the call up cap before doing so.

6. What kinds of specialties and units will be activated?

Right now missions involve port security operations, medical support, engineering support, general civil support and homeland defense and security operations. Separate announcements will be made over time as individual units are alerted or the situation changes.

7. If Army Reservists want to volunteer for duty what should they do?

Troop Program Unit members and Individual Mobilization Augmentees should contact their chain of command. Reservists assigned to the Individual Ready Reserve should contact AR-PERSCOM: Officers at 1-800-325-1879, Enlisted at 1-800-325-4754, and Retired at 1-800-325-2660.

8. Were Reservists available prior to mobilization?

Yes, volunteers have been on various forms of duty since the attacks. In fact over 2,000 Army Reservists were participating in operations in support of the emergency before the EO. The mobilization authority allows us greater access to Reservists and resources for a longer duration of duty.