Be a military reservist, serve the people

ARMY RESERVISTS are regularly deployed for disaster response operations in calamity-stricken areas. In this file photo, members of the Seach and Rescue Unit (SARU) of the NCRRCDG, ARESCOM, PA are assisting people in flooded areas evacuate towards safer grounds during the onslaught of Habagat in Metro Manila. (Photo by Cpl Marlon San Esteban)

Since 1986, the Army Reserve Command (ARESCOM) has been organizing and administering reservists who are acknowledged as an integral part of the nation's defense against external aggression.

This assembly of reservists is in accordance to the Republic Act 7077 otherwise known as the Citizen Armed Force or Armed Forces of the Philippines Reservist Act.

It stipulates the need of the state to maintain a reserve force (aside from the regular force) that is prepared to respond to the call of duty, especially in times of war, invasion or rebellion.

This act also cites the three major functions of the reserve force – peacetime, crisis and war time roles.

At times of order and peace, the reserve force assists in the operation and maintenance of essential government or private utilities in the furtherance of its overall mission, as well as aid in socio-economic developments.

They exist through the concept of “Man in every Barangay”, mobilized for information gathering most especially at times of calamities.

During crisis, the reserve force units are engaged in nation-building activities such as disaster operation, rehabilitation operation and Medical and Dental Civic Action Program (MEDCAP).

It also provides service support, base defense and combat force when needed amid times of war.

With these roles, they have established their own worth over the years as a noble group called the Reserve Force.

Categories and Classifications of Reserve Units

Citizen soldiers or reservists are classified based on age – the first category, composed of able-bodied reservists whose ages are between 18-35, the second category, ages between 36-51 and the third category, ages above 51 years, but not more than 65.

They are also classified into three – the Ready Reserve, the Standby Reserve and the Retired Reserve.

As the name suggests, the Ready Reserve is comprised of reservists who are subject to be called at any time to augment the regular units of the military force during wartime or national emergency, calamities, disasters and other threats to peace and order or local emergencies and also to provide assistance in development activities.

Reservists belonging to the first category constitute the Ready Reserve together with qualified and fit for duty citizen soldiers from the second and third categories.

Meanwhile, the Standby Reserve is composed of the reservists from the second and third categories and are only mobilized or called for active duty only during times of war or national emergency.

However, being backups does not mean their skills are underdeveloped. In fact, non-resident and resident courses at training centers of the major services are set up regularly for that purpose.

The Standby Reservists could also volunteer to work on some of the Ready Reserve activities and could also upgrade their ranks in doing so.

Lastly, there is the Retired Reserve. As the name suggests, this is made up of citizen soldiers who have retired due to old age, disability or length of service. Sixty five is the retirement age.

A retired reservist could still be called for active duty at times of national and local emergencies as long as s/he is still qualified and fit to render his/her service.

As of July 2012, there are 42, 428 Ready Reservists and 69, 276 Standby Reservists.

Who are qualified to enlist as a reservist?

The Reserve Force is composed of different social groups which are as follows:

a) Degree holders who are Basic ROTC graduates

b) Out-of-school youth or undergrads who are graduates of the Special Basic Citizen Military Training (SBCMT)

c) Members of the Citizen Armed Force Geographical Unit (CAFGU)

d) Former enlisted personnel

What are the general qualifications?

There are certain qualifications to become a citizen-soldier which includes:

a.) Applicant must be a Filipino citizen

b.) Must not be less than twenty-one (21) years nor more than sixty-four (64) years of age at the time of appointment as reserve officer

c.) Must pass the physical examination standards conducted by an authorized AFP hospital or civilian / government hospitals and the physical examination report to be validated by the Major Service Chief Surgeons

d.) Must be a graduate of a baccalaureate degree / Honorary degrees except deserving Non-Commissioned Officers (NCOs) / Petty Officers (POs).

e.) Must take the AFP aptitude test battery (AFPATB) except the elected government officials, appointed government officials, holders of government licenses, Master in National Security Administration (MNSA) graduates and Armed Forces of the Philippines Affiliated Reserve Unit (AFPARU) Personnel.

f.) Appropriate Pre-Commission Training for individual applicants and Military Orientation Training for AFPARU applicants shall be required prior to Commission into the Reserve Force.

Can women enlist and be commissioned as reservists?

Women shall have the right to serve and as such, relevant standards for admission, training and commissioning of women shall be the same as those required for men.

However, essential adjustments shall be made in such standards due to physiological differences between men and women.

What are the necessary documents needed to enlist as a reservist?

For degree holders and ROTC graduates, Transcript of Records (TOR), diploma, ROTC Declaration of Graduate and Order of Merit are needed. For out of school youth and undergraduates on the other hand, medical certificates and local clearances are also required.

What is the process to be enlisted as a reservist?

An interested applicant, an undergraduate or an out of school youth, must undergo a Special Basic Citizen Military Training (SBCMT) course at any community defense center (CDC) for 15 consecutive Sundays to become a reservist.

ROTC graduates, CAFGU and former enlisted personnel should visit the CDCs to signify their intent of activation in the Reserve Force after getting an order of separation from their previous armed service.

What ranks and assignments will they be given?

For the basic ROTC graduates, they will be given a reserve enlisted rank and serial number and will be assigned in their provincial reserve units and mobilization centers. The ranks to be awarded shall be from private to sergeant. Those to be awarded ranks above private shall be chosen based on merit. The same goes for the graduates of the SBCMT.

To those who wish to continue to the advance ROTC course they shall carry their enlisted rank until after their successful completion of advance ROTC.

The graduates of advance ROTC on the other hand, shall be recommended for commission in the reserve force as second lieutenants and will also be assigned in their respective provincial reserve units and mobilization centers.

Those with manifest potential may be commissioned in the regular force as 2LTs; but, those who fail to complete the course shall be conferred the enlisted rank of Sergeant.

Will there be trainings after enlistment?

Trainings are conducted to enhance the readiness of individual reservists and reserve units to respond to the call to service. One of which is the Compulsory Training for the First Category Reservists, which takes about not less than thirty days but more than sixty days in a given year.

Voluntary Training is also encouraged for individual reservists, commissioned and non-commissioned officers to upgrade their proficiency.

What is the status of reservists on training?

Reservists on compulsory and voluntary training shall be subject to military law and shall not receive pay but shall be entitled to allowances and burial benefits as provided by law.

How about the status of reservists under mobilization?

When enlisted or officer reservists are called to active duty by virtue of mobilization, they shall receive all the pay and allowances, medical care, hospitalization and other privileges and benefits prescribed by law or regulations for officers and enlisted personnel of the regular force.

Who are qualified to be commissioned as officers of the Reserve Force?

a) Degree holders who are Advance ROTC graduates or have successfully completed the prescribed program of instruction for the Probationary Officer Training Course (POTC/MS-43) conducted by the Major Service RESCOMS

b) Degree holders requiring four (4) or more years of study in the courses of interest to the AFP and who are graduates of the basic ROTC

c) Elected government officials and presidential appointees who may qualify for commission

d) Non-commissioned officers (NCOs) COs/Petty Officers (Pos) of the regular force with outstanding records of service and technical experience and those who have rendered exceptional services in combat or other activity involving risk of life or limb

e) Graduates of the Master in National Security Administration (MNSA) conducted by the National Defense College of the Philippines (NDCP)

f) Key and Technical personnel of affiliated reserve units

g) Regular Officers who have resigned his/her commission and the acceptance of which was not for cause or Reserve Officer who are no longer qualified for Call to Active Duty (CAD) provided his reversion is not for cause

What is the process for application?

The AFP Reserve Command and the Major Services through their respective RESCOM are responsible for soliciting applicants for commission and all applications shall be thoroughly screened by the screening boards which shall recommend candidates for commission to the Major Service /AFPRESCOM Commanders then to the Chief of Staff, AFP.

The Reserve Commands, in this case, the Army Reserve Command, upon receipt of the complete application, shall request for a conduction of background information (BI). While BI is still ongoing, an Interim Clearance shall be issued so that the supporting documents can be processed.

The Chief of Staff, AFP, based on the evaluation and recommendation of the DCSRRA J9, shall recommend to the President, through SND, the commission in the Reserve Force, AFP of qualified candidates. The Adjutant General, AFP shall then publish the appropriate orders announcing the appointment of reservist officers commissioned.

 

 VOLUNTEER SERVICE. The Army reservists perform their jobs without any remuneration. They are recently hailed for their splendid performance during the heaving flooding brought about by continuous rains in Metro Manila and nearby provinces. (Photo by Cpl Marlon San Esteban)