The Fleet Reserve was established to provide experienced personnel for the first stages of mobilization during an emergency or in time of war. The Fleet Reserve is made up of former enlisted members of the regular Navy or Naval Reserve who can fill such billets without further training.
Enlisted
members
of the regular Navy and /or Naval Reserve are eligible for
transfer to
the Fleet Reserve after serving 20
years.
Any member of
the Fleet Reserve may be recalled to active duty, at any time,
without
consent.
After a
member
has completed 30 years of combined service (which includes
active-duty,
reserve
duty and Fleet Reserve time) he/she is transferred to the
Retired List.
Unlike transfer to the Fleet Reserve, the 30-year retirement is a right, guaranteed by law.
A retired member may be recalled to active duty in time of war or national emergency at the discretion of the Secretary of the Navy, but, will not be recalled to active duty under any other conditions without consent of the member.