Team,
We must consider People First – sometimes that means looking at the long term as opposed to the short term.
As an Army, we must stay flexible as we fight to
retain the talent we have cultivated in our Soldiers. With this in mind,
I want you to look at the establishment of the Career Intermission
Program (CIP) as a permanent option. Since its
inception as a pilot in 2014, CIP has provided Soldiers the opportunity
to take a sabbatical from their Army career to pursue personal
interests.
I do not want to lose the focus on troops
re-enlisting at their eligible gates. However, temporary circumstances
have been known to divert Soldiers into permanent separation. It is our
job to make sure Soldiers are at least aware of this
opportunity before they permanently get out.
There are no specific reasons to apply, and no list
of acceptable criteria which could account for all the variables life
throws at us. Many have utilized CIP to get a degree, take care of a
family member, raise a child, align professional
timelines with a spouse, or acquire a professional skill. Regardless of
the reason, eligible Soldiers can be placed in an Individual Ready
Reserve status for up to three years.
Here’s some basic information about the program. Service Members:
Retain their healthcare
Receive a movement allowance
Retain on-post access and benefits
Incur a two-month ADSO for every month in the IRR
NCOs E5-E8, Warrant Officers, and Officers are eligible
Must have less than 17 years of creditable active Federal service as of the requested entry date
Retain 2/30ths of their monthly base pay
Are guaranteed a job to return to after their hiatus
Informed decisions are better decisions. I’m asking
our leaders to stay engaged and use their judgement to recommend this
program to help ensure we aren’t losing our talented Soldiers
unnecessarily.
Thank you all for what you do for our Nation.
-SMA
For more detailed information about CIP, please reference the following:
https://talent.army.mil/cip AD 2021-15 (Career Intermission Program)
