Balking reservists may be discharged
WASHINGTON — The Army took initial steps Monday to expel dozens of reservists who failed to report for active duty, in effect warning hundreds of others that they, too, could be penalized if they don’t heed orders to return to active service.
The proceedings mark a turning point in the Army’s struggle to deploy thousands of soldiers from the Individual Ready Reserve, a rarely mobilized group of reservists, to war zones in which some have resisted serving.
These are soldiers who had previously served on active duty but not completed their eight-year service obligation. Unlike those in the National Guard or Army Reserve, they are not required to stay in training. Many have requested a delay in returning to service, have asked to be exempted or have ignored their orders.
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