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Correspondence Courses in the IRR

Thisguy

Thisguy

Pain-in-the-dick
So after a little research, I found that you can be in the IRR and can accumulate 50 points to qualify for a year towards retirement through correspondence courses. With 15 annual gratuity points, it seems like getting 35 points through correspondences courses is a lot less time consuming than being a drilling reservist (granted you don't get paid, but I'm not concerned about that).

Anyone accumulate points through these courses? Roughly how many courses do you need complete a year to qualify for a good year? Thanks.
 
HH-60H

HH-60H

Manager
pilot
Contributor
Thisguy said:
So after a little research, I found that you can be in the IRR and can accumulate 50 points to qualify for a year towards retirement through correspondence courses. With 15 annual gratuity points, it seems like getting 35 points through correspondences courses is a lot less time consuming than being a drilling reservist (granted you don't get paid, but I'm not concerned about that).

Anyone accumulate points through these courses? Roughly how many courses do you need complete a year to qualify for a good year? Thanks.
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If memory serves, the courses vary wildly in point values. It depends on how long each one is. I only did a couple, and I don't remember any obvious rule of thumb (e.g. 1 hour of coursework = 1 point for instance).

Also, despite this being the 21st century, once you have completed a course you have to print the certificate and fax it to PERS, there is no automatic linkage between the training and your reserve record.
 
O

orionbubba1077

Registered User
pilot
I agree with you that the NKO courses look like a nice alternative way to accumulate points and good years while in the IRR. What I'd like to know if how long one can keep earning good years in the IRR. Anyone else been pursuing this avenue and, if so, how long before being told you need to go SELRES or get out? Can you make it to 20 via IRR and NKO courses if you bag 50 points per year?
 
FrankTheTank

FrankTheTank

Professional Pot Stirrer
pilot
I have been IRR and doing courses for a good 4 years...

You can do them as long as your rank lets you serve.. (ie.. 0-4 = 20, 0-5=24)...

They changed they way they value course a couple of years ago.. So now it takes a little more time and some courses are worth less.. But essentially they made it where 4 hours of course work equals 1 pt... Like a drill..

I know way more about this than I care to.. I am at least getting near retirement... 2 to go! So ask away...

Hope that helps!

The reason I do IRR Correspondence Courses is my main job pays more and I do NOT want to be mobilized! Just for perspective.
 
OnTopTime

OnTopTime

ROBO TACCO
None
orionbubba1077 said:
What I'd like to know if how long one can keep earning good years in the IRR. Anyone else been pursuing this avenue and, if so, how long before being told you need to go SELRES or get out? Can you make it to 20 via IRR and NKO courses if you bag 50 points per year?
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Typically, as long as you're getting at least 27 points per year in the IRR and haven't yet reached 20 "good years" (i.e. 20 years with at least 50 points per year to qualify for retirement) you'll be allowed to stay in the IRR. Obviously, if you're taking correspondence courses while in the IRR, you should make an effort to get to 50 points per year to make good years. Otherwise, you're not getting the years you need for retirement, and if you do eventually qualify for retired pay with 20 good years, the points you earned in years when you got less than 50 points will count only towards the rate of retirement pay (at approximately 50 cents per point per month in retirement pay for an O-5 over 22). If you earn less than 27 points per year while in the IRR (in BUPERS speak, a "27 point failure") several years running, BUPERS is supposed to invite you to leave the IRR and accept S2 status (standby reserve-inactive) as a step towards eventually leaving the naval service.

If, after getting 20 good years and qualifying for retirement pay, you choose to remain in the IRR, you are supposed to earn at least 50 points per year. Otherwise, BUPERS is supposed to send you a letter giving you the option to either submit a retirement request or apply for a waiver to earn 50 points in the current anniversary year. If you do neither, BUPERS is supposed to place you in S2 status pending an eventual transfer to retired status.
 
OnTopTime

OnTopTime

ROBO TACCO
None
MasterBates said:
So you are saying I could get out with 11.5 years on AD, and just NKO my way to 20?

Sweet.
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It depends. You won't promote if you just sit in the IRR taking courses, so high year tenure may be an issue. For instance, I don't know what's happening these days to 2XFOS O-4s in the IRR even if they're getting 50+ points a year. If you can manage to stay in the IRR earning 50 points a year minimum you would qualify for a reserve retirement with pay and medical benefits starting on your 60th birthday. With 11.5 years active time, I'm guessing that you would be getting approximately 32% of base pay at age 60 for your final rank and years of service.
 
Thisguy

Thisguy

Pain-in-the-dick
phrogpilot73 said:
Just affiliate with a SELRES unit to get promoted - then roll to the IRR and you're money... I don't know if the Navy has the equivalent of IMA det billets - but some of ours are pretty sweet.
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Lucky for me, the CEC is full of mouth-breathing morons and I should select next summer, promote in 2012, then fulfill my grad school obligation in 2013. I explored this because my plan is to go to business school on the GI Bill, and I know I'm going to want my weekends and not screw around with drilling.
 
OnTopTime

OnTopTime

ROBO TACCO
None
Thisguy said:
Lucky for me, the CEC is full of mouth-breathing morons and I should select next summer, promote in 2012, then fulfill my grad school obligation in 2013. I explored this because my plan is to go to business school on the GI Bill, and I know I'm going to want my weekends and not screw around with drilling.
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If you're like most guys after leaving active duty, you'll miss the comradery that you experienced. For all the crap that you have to put up with on drill weekends (or AT, etc.), hanging out with your Navy buds two days a month (usually) more than makes up for it.

Then again, if you're hanging out with mouth-breathing morons, that may be a different story...
 
A4sForever

A4sForever

BTDT OLD GUY
pilot
Contributor
MasterBates said:
Damnit.. I knew there was some sort of catch.
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There's NO 'catch' ... just DO IT !!!

Instead of sleeping through the next 8 years to get 'your 20' - volunteer for a LOT of ACDUTRA while in the Reserves -- w/ 11.5 ACDU and beaucoup ACDUTRA in the Reserves, you will push your point total WA-A-A-A-A-AY up there ... and you'll probably be a shoe-in for ElCadar, also.

PLUS, when you 'retire', you get the bennies of NEX/COMMISSARY ... and a decade + later, you'll get the full boat.

If you remember nothing else, remember this: THE NAVAL RESERVE AFTER ACDU TO 'GRADUATE' W/ 20 = THERE IS NO DOWN-SIDE
 
Thisguy

Thisguy

Pain-in-the-dick
I just saw in a brief that going to the IRR carries an 8 year obligation...does this make any sense?
 
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