So if you enlist in the armed services

[Aimster]

Say someone enlists for 2-years.

Then 10 years later there is a war. Can they call you up and say you have to come serve again?

 

[MagnusTheBrewer]

Short answer yes!
ie If there is a draft and If you are required to register for it.

 

[xanis]

I don't believe they can. AFAIK when your enlistment contract is up, you're free to go.

 

[Chryso]

No, once your enlistment commitment is over you are done.
Officers, on the other hand, can be called back.

 

[K1052]

IIRC, it is an 8 year commitment for active duty military (non NG)

Say you serve 2 years then get out, you would be on inactive reserve for another 6 and subject to call up if required.

 

[Turin39789]

inactive reserve FTL!

 

[MagnusTheBrewer]

Circumstances change, in WW II, enlisted men who completed their duty were required to re-register for the draft.

 

[Wapp]

Originally posted by: K1052
IIRC, it is an 8 year commitment for active duty military (non NG)

Say you serve 2 years then get out, you would be on inactive reserve for another 6 and subject to call up if required.

Winner.

Edit: I think retirees are still at risk of being called back during their first 5 years of retirement.

 

[TreyRandom]

Short answer: No.

Long answer: You can be required to come back and serve until your contract term is up. Example: I enlisted in 1989 for four years, but got out in three. I served in the reserves another three years (total of six years). But my contract was for eight years. I could have been called to active duty anytime up to mid-1997.

Now, could they force me into service? I'm sure they could... but at this point, I'm under no more obligation than a normal civilian.

 

[FoBoT]

it depends on different things , most enlistments include time in the IRR, but if you re-enlist/stay in beyond the first enlistment, that time in IRR is covered by active duty time. so those 2-3 year enlistments for 2-3 years of active duty, include 5-6 years of IRR duty where they can be called back


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Individual_Ready_Reserve
http://usmilitary.about.com/cs...ingup/a/recruiter4.htm

 

[OutHouse]

Originally posted by: Chryso
No, once your enlistment commitment is over you are done.
Officers, on the other hand, can be called back.

correction. when your commitment to Inactive reserves is up then you are done.

during operation Desert shield/storm there were a few retired officer's normally O-5+ who got called back to fill the slots of active duty officers who got sent to overseas.