MARCH 31, 2020 – On March 27, the president signed an executive order authorizing mobilization of the Reserve Component in response to COVID-19 operations.
For the Air Force Reserve, personnel already serving in the Selected Reserve and Participating Individual Ready Reserve, as well as those assigned to the Individual Ready Reserve, may be asked to volunteer to activate in support of COVID-19 response. If taskings exceed the volunteer pool, involuntary mobilization of the SELRES and IRR to active status is now authorized to ensure mission accomplishment.
“The Air Force Reserve stands ready to surge in support of COVID-19 response,” said Lt. Gen. Richard Scobee, chief of the Air Force Reserve and commander of the Air Force Reserve Command. “This is an unprecedented mission and COVID-19 is a destructive adversary — we must do all we can to take care of Americans.”
In addition, command and control elements, logistics personnel and other career fields may also be asked to volunteer and potentially mobilize as future taskings for specific skill sets, capabilities and requirements are received through the Force Generation Center.
For now, medical personnel are at the top of the list to assist in U.S. Northern Command operations to contain the spread of COVID-19 and care for Americans affected. Required personnel will be contacted through command channels about their willingness to volunteer and to receive notification of mobilization as operations progress. Currently-serving medical reservists willing to volunteer for mobilization should email HQAFRC.SG.AFRCPHEOs@us.af.mil to self-identify their availability.
“I know our reserve citizen Airmen will answer our nation’s call during this challenging time with professionalism, patriotism and the required expertise to take care of Americans. It is my responsibility to care for our citizen Airmen and families while we execute this ultimate mission,” Scobee said.
For more information, visit www.arpc.afrc.af.mil or the “Questions and Answers” tab at www.afrc.af.mil. As more information becomes available, it will be posted on these two websites.
To read additional questions and answers regarding mobilization of the SELRES and IRR, click here.
By Air Force Reserve Command