RETURN2SERVICE


 

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

 

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 How do members re-enter service now that the COVID vaccine mandate is rescinded?

Members can contact the Return to Service Assist Team (R2SAT) by e-mailing SMB-COMDT-Return2ServiceInquires@uscg.mil. They can also call (202) 780-1984. Members may also contact their nearest Coast Guard recruiter or visit www.GoCoastGuard.com.

The R2SAT was created by the Coast Guard to help voluntarily or involuntarily Coast Guard members (active duty and reserve) seeking to re-enter the Coast Guard. The team will also help members update their military records, including Enlisted Evaluation Reports (EERs) and Officer Evaluation Reviews (OER).

 How long will it take for members to re-enter service ?

The goal is to have members who meet retention standards re-enter service within 30 days of notification of their desire to return to service. Depending on the specifics of a member’s case, this process may take longer. The Coast Guard is committed to making the process as streamlined and straightforward as possible.
 What requirements will members have to fulfill to return to service?

Members are required to meet retention standards to re-enter service. Members who meet retention standards will complete an attestation and sign a Statement of Understanding to confirm there have been no changes to their financial status, criminal history, or medical status.
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 What requirements will members have to fulfill to return to service ?

Members are required to meet retention standards to re-enter service. Members who meet retention standards will complete an attestation and sign a Statement of Understanding to confirm there have been no changes to their financial status, criminal history, or medical status.
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 How will the Coast Guard determine assignment location for members who are returning to service?

For active duty, the R2ST or a recruiter will share location options with members to review potential choices for assignment prior to the member signing a final Statement of Understanding (SOU) to return to the Service. Personnel Service Center Enlisted Personnel Management (PSC EPM) will use the same processes for all members at this stage of the assignment season.
For the reserve, the Coast Guard Recruiting Command Inter-Service Transfer Team will contact reserve members with Select Reserve (SELRES) assignment options after the reserve member transfers from the Inactive Status List (ISL) to the Inactive Ready Reserve (IRR).
 What will happen to members who were in various training programs ranging from boot camp to advanced schools who were discharged for not complying with the vaccine mandate?

If you had orders to attend a training program prior to your separation, our R2ST will work with EPM to get you back on a list for a future convening date.
 Will members go back to the same unit they were in when they left?

Not necessarily. Members will be re-accessed and they should be prepared to accept Permanent Change of Station (PCS) orders to a new assignment.
Members will be offered a list of positions to consider and prioritize during the re-accession process. The process will be consistent with that offered active duty and reserve members at this point in the assignment year.
 Will members separated while at A-school be able to come back and be at school where they left off or will they have to spend more time as a non-rate waiting for the next A-school opportunity?

Enlisted Personnel Management (EPM) and FORCECOM will work together to determine the availability of each A-school on a case-by-case basis. It may be necessary for a member to spend time in the field until the applicable A-school is in session.
 Will unvaccinated members be able to go TDY and execute PCS orders without being vaccinated or will these decisions remain at command discretion?

Yes. Members who are unvaccinated against COVID-19 are not prevented from TDY travel or PCS transfer solely due to non-vaccination. However, eligibility may vary depending on outside agency or country/theater requirements.
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 How long will the Coast Guard allow for members to return to service?

Members will have 2 years from the time of separation to return to service. After 2 years, the member will have to go through the normal reaccessions process. They may not be able to return to service at the pay grade at which you separated.
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 I filed a VA claim when I separated. Will I have to stop it upon return to service?

Members coming on active duty will have to stop all VA compensation/disability benefits, as you cannot draw two forms of payment/benefits from the government.
Reserve members can maintain their VA compensation benefits unless on active duty.
 I was required to pay back a bonus prior to my separation, will I receive that money back or prorated portion based on newly obligated service? Will I be required to keep paying back debt to the government?

Yes. Members who were separated and were required to pay back their original bonuses, will have them restored and paid back upon re-accession.
 Is there a uniform allotment for members returning to service who relinquished or no longer have their full seabag?

Yes. Members who return to service and have been separated for 90 days or more are entitled to a seabag replacement. Alternatively, they may waive the seabag replacement to have their uniform maintenance allowance turned on immediately upon return to active-duty service. Members who re-access and have been separated for less than 90 days will resume receiving their uniform maintenance allowance upon return to active-duty service.
 What will the minimum obligated service be for members returning to service?

Enlistment of active-duty contracts will be offered for 3, 4, or 6 years for members re-accessing. Members re-accessing into the reserve can enter contracts for 2-year contracts.
 Will enlisted members be able to keep rate/rank upon returning to service?

Members will return to service at the same rate/paygrade. Members may request to switch rates upon return to service based on current critical ratings. The Coast Guard will evaluate these requests on a case-by-case basis.
 Will I be eligible for any of the current enlistment bonuses if I choose to come back in?


Yes. Members returning to service will be eligible for current Selective Reenlistment Bonuses (SRBs) and Open Rate List (ORL) bonuses. Information on these bonuses can be found: SRB Bonuses

 

 Will members be placed back on the advancement list?

Commands with members whose advancements were withheld on a now-expired advancement eligibility list based solely on their refusal of the COVID-19 vaccination mandate will be directed to remove the withholding in accordance with section 3.A.21.b.(4).a of COMDTINST M1000.2C.

These members will be eligible to advance based on the effective re-accession date they would have otherwise been advanced, assuming they continue to maintain all other advancement requirements contained in COMDTINST M1000.2C.
 Will members on the old retirement system be forced to take BRS if they return?

Eligible members will retain their legacy retirement system information on their military records.
 Will members receive back pay ?

No. Re-accessing members are not eligible for back pay or allowances for the period of their break in service.
 Will members who voluntarily or were involuntarily separated from service and incurred the costs of moving, be reimbursed? Will their PCS be covered upon return to service ?

Yes, all PCS will be covered. No costs incurred during the period of separation of service; however, will be reimbursed. See the general section of chapter 5 of the JTR; chapter 8 of COMDINST M1040.6A, Temporary Separations.
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 Are all other vaccination requirements still in place? What about the flu shot?

All other vaccination requirements are still in effect. Vaccination against influenza is required.
 What happens to members whose religious exemptions were denied? Will Religious Accommodations (RAs) be reconsidered?

All Religious Accommodation and Medical Exemption requests based on the COVID-19 vaccination requirement will be returned to members through their commands, with no action.

In addition, the Coast Guard will no longer require RAs for COVID-19 vaccines, as the mandate was rescinded.

 Why did the Covid-19 mandate change?

The change is due to the recent 2023 National Defense Authorization Act and authorized by the Secretary of Defense which ended the Covid-19 vaccine mandate for Department of Defense (DoD) military members. The Coast Guard rescinded its Covid-19 vaccination mandate to align its policy DoD. As a result, Coast Guard service members are no longer required to be vaccinated against COVID-19.
 Will Coast Guard members ordered to deploy have to be vaccinated against COVID-19?

No, The Coast Guard is not requiring COVID-19 vaccines. Some countries may still require all service members entering the country to be vaccinated against COVID-19.
 Will new recruits still be required to receive the vaccine? If so, why the discrepancy for new recruits and current members?

No. New recruits are strongly encouraged to receive the COVID-19 vaccine. However, the covid-19 vaccine is no longer a mandatory requirement for military service.
 Will the vaccine/boosters become an annual requirement and if so, will I be able to opt out without consequence in the future?

Service members are no longer required to be vaccinated against COVID-19; to include booster shots.
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 Does the time away from active service affect the process of a member’s return to service?

Yes, all PCS will be covered. No costs incurred during the period of separation of service; however, will be reimbursed. See the general section of chapter 5 of the JTR; chapter 8 of COMDINST M1040.6A, Temporary Separations.
 If members return, will the missed time be applied as time in service?

No. This break in service will not be considered for Time in Service calculations.

However, if your break of service effects certain benefits, like G.I. Bill Obligated Service requirement, the R2ST will work with you, PSC and PPC to ensure that lost time is captured into your record; as the coast guard is waiving this requirement for effected members.
 What happens to adverse actions in military personnel records of current service members who refused to get vaccinated?

The Personnel Service Center (PSC) automatically removed all COVID-19 vaccine mandate related CG-3307s/Page 7 administrative remarks from current and former members’ records.

Active duty and reserve members are encouraged to review their military record in iPERMS and request removal of any CG-3307s/Page 7s.
Commands of active duty and reserve enlisted members should follow the process in COMDTINST M1000.2C to address member’s requests for appeals to comments or marks given solely due to COVID-19 vaccination status in Enlisted Evaluation Reports (EERs).

Active duty and reserve officers who wish to appeal Officer Evaluation Review (OER) marks or comments received solely due to COVID-19 vaccination status and they want to request a change, may submit their request to the Personnel Records Review Board (PRRB) or Board for Correction of Military Records (BCMR) in accordance with COMDTINST 1070.1.

In all cases, the R2SAT will be available to provide guidance to members requesting changes to their records based solely on COVID-19 vaccination status.
 Will the period of time a member who was separated count against them in high year tenure/time in grade/time in service or any other time-based career milestones?

The period of time that members were separated does not count as time in service or time in grade.

Members may request a Statement of Creditable Service (SOCS) after re-accession for an accurate calculation of time in service, total commissioned service, and time in grade.
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 Does time in the ISL count toward qualifying years of service?

Time in the ISL does not count towards creditable service in the reserve.
 How does a reservist who voluntarily separated or transferred from SELRES to the ISL (instead of seeking a medical exemption or religious accommodation for the COVID vaccine) re-enter the Coast Guard now that the vaccine requirement is rescinded?

Reservists who voluntarily transferred to the ISL and are interested in returning to service will need to complete a request to PSC RPM requesting to transfer to the IRR.

Once in the IRR, the Coast Guard Recruiting Command Inter-Service Transfer Team will contact the member to discuss transferring to the SELRES and assignment options. The Return2Service Team (R2ST) will also be available to assist members with this process. Members who separated will need to contact the Return2Service Team (R2ST) or a recruiter to return to the Coast Guard Reserve.
 Who should reservists who were involuntarily transferred to the ISL due to non-compliance with the COVID-19 vaccination mandate contact to return to the Selected Reserve (SELRES) or Inactive Ready Reserve (IRR)?

Reservists who were involuntarily transferred to the ISL due to non-compliance with the COVID-19 vaccination mandate and who desire to transfer back to the SELRES or IRR should contact the Return2Service Team (R2ST).

The R2ST will assist the member with submitting a request to Personnel Service Center Reserve Personnel Management (PSC RPM) and coordinating with the Coast Guard Recruiting Command Inter-Service Transfer Team.
 Will reservists who were involuntarily transferred to the ISL due to non-compliance with the COVID-19 vaccination mandate returning to a drilling status be re-assigned to their prior SELRES position?

The Coast Guard Recruiting Command Inter-Service Transfer Team will discuss assignment options with the member. Assignment to the member’s prior SELRES position is not guaranteed.