IRR Mega Muster

MADISON, WISCONSIN, UNITED STATES

09.12.2020

Courtesy Story

Marine Forces Reserve (MARFORRES)

MADISON, Wis. - Individual Ready Reserve Marines attended this year's annual IRR Mega Muster.

“The hardest thing we do as a service is making a Marine, and in the IRR, we have access to over 40,000,” said Lt. Gen. David G. Bellon, commander of Marine Forces Reserve and Marine Forces North. Bellon and Sgt. Maj. Scott D. Grade, Sergeant Major, MARFORRES and MARFORNORTH, attended the annual IRR Mega Muster in order to help with the recruitment and retention of talent within the IRR. With his attendance, the commander is able to gain a better understanding of IRR execution and opportunities.

Annual IRR Mega Musters are composed of prior service and reservist Marines. About 300 Marines were in attendance for this year's muster. The Marines are screened in order to ensure readiness for augmentation into the active component of the total force. Marines were required to attend a reserves opportunity and obligations brief as well as complete an admin audit in order to ensure their information is up to date in the case of receiving recall orders. The screening process also included medical screening and a tiering process that evaluates a Marines level of physical and administrative readiness.

During these events, Marines are informed of the benefits and opportunities available to them while serving as an IRR Marine. The Marines are also informed of career opportunities available to them such as a lateral move into a new military occupational specialty. "Today I learned more about the reserves, for example, I'm an inactive reserve Marine but I can go active reserves and maintain my rank, billet, and MOS,” said Sgt. Grant M. Wade, a combat engineer with the IRR. "One of the things covered in the brief was that there are signing bonuses for lateral moves in areas that are in need of Marines."

During a benefits and opportunity class, Staff Sgt. Aaron K. Miller, career planner, Marine Corps Individual Reserve Support Activity, informed Marines of their benefits, including the ability to attain short term orders all over the country. “Marines can go into the Marine Forces Reserve global billets online, and see the list of billets available. We have found that a lot of Marines aren't aware that it's available to them,” said Miller.

Gunnery Sgt. Ruby J. González, with Marine Corps Individual Reserve Support Activity informed Marines of some other benefits such as retirement. “A lot of them, when asked if they knew they could retire from the IRR, said no. Many of them weren't aware of the Active Reserves, Selective Marine Corps Reserve (SMCR), Individual Mobilization Augmentee billets still available to them within the IRR,” said Gonzalez.

While speaking to the Marines at the muster, Sgt. Maj. Grade said "The obvious opportunities for Marines in the IRR is that it allows them to maintain their status, accrue retirement points, and even come back to service in either the active component or the SMCR. Those are just some tangible benefits. The biggest opportunity is for these Marines to get back that camaraderie gained through service in the corps and to network with other Marines from their local area.”

The attendance of IRR Marines during this process is essential to keeping the Marine Corps updated in the case of widespread mobilization. The reserve component bridges the gap between active duty Marines to maintain an expeditionary force in readiness capable of winning any battle at a moment's notice.

• Date Taken: 09.12.2020
• Date Posted: 09.29.2020 11:11
• Story ID: 379084
• Location: MADISON, WISCONSIN, US