otherwise  needed.  Its  secondary  mission  is  to  help the  Active  Force  accomplish  its  peacetime  mission by  serving  as  a  byproduct  or  an  adjunct  of training. The  Navy  has  many  early  mobilization  re- quirements.  It  must  immediately  add  aircraft  and special units to the Active Forces and more ships to  the  fleet.  It  must  increase  its  peacetime personnel  strength  to  wartime  complement.  In addition,  it  must  increase  fleet  support  and  shore- based activities and indoctrinate and train newly procured   officers   and   enlisted   personnel. Although the nation may reactivate ships of the Reserve  Fleet,  doing  so  requires  too  much  time in  the  appraisal  of  early  mobilization  require- ments. The Reserve Forces maintain a large portion of  the  Navy’s  mission  capability.  For  example, they are, in some cases, more skilled in riverine warfare,  mobile  inshore  undersea  warfare,  and the use of minesweepers. Personnel of the Naval Reserve provide the capability for quick mobiliza- tion  of  the  Navy. Those  men  and  women  who  volunteer  for military service in the Naval Reserve assume an 8-year  military  obligation.  They  may  fulfill  this obligation  on  either  active  or  inactive  duty  or divide  their  obligation  between  the  two.  The  exact combination  of  active  duty  and  inactive  duty depends  upon  the  plan  under  which  the  individual entered the Navy. Current  enlistment  programs  call  for  a specified  period  of  active  duty  with  the  remainder of the 8-year obligation served in a Reserve status. For   example,   the   Active   Mariner   Enlistment Program  requires  3  years’  active  duty  followed by  5  years’  Reserve  obligation. COMPOSITION  OF  THE  NAVAL RESERVE The  size,  composition,  and  deployment  re- quirements of the military forces at any given time depend  on  this  nation’s  posture  and  goals  in  a constantly  changing  world.  The  Ready  Reserve of the armed forces provides an economical way to provide people who are trained to supplement the  Active  Forces.  Currently,  federal  law  limits the  Ready  Reserve  of  the  armed  forces  to  not more   than   2,900,000   officers   and   enlisted personnel.   Within   this   total,   the   Navy   is authorized  a  Ready  Reserve  of  530,000;  presently, over 230,000 personnel serve in the Ready Reserve of  the  Navy. Naval reservists fall into one of three general categories—Ready Reserve, Standby Reserve, or Retired Reserve. READY  RESERVE The  Ready  Reserve  consists  of  the  Selected Reserve and the Individual Ready Reserve. The Ready  Reserve  includes  those  members,  not  on active  duty,  who  are  subject  to  call  to  Active service.  They  may  be  called  to  Active  service  if the   President   declares   a   national   emergency, Congress  declares  war,  or  when  otherwise authorized  by  law.  Members  of  the  Ready  Reserve are  expected  to  be  available  for  active  duty immediately  upon  receiving  orders.  However,  they are allowed a reasonable time between the date they are alerted or ordered to active duty and the date  they  must  report  for  duty. Participation or nonparticipation in a drilling program  has  no  effect  on  the  liability  of  Ready reservists for recall—all are equally liable. Under the  current  partial  mobilization  concept,  however, those participating in Selected Reserve units are more likely to receive involuntary orders to active duty  than  other  reservists.  Enlisted  members serving  voluntarily  in  the  Ready  Reserve  must volunteer  for  a  specific  period.  Officers  execute Ready   Reserve   Agreements   for   an   indefinite length  of  time. Of  the  three  Reserve  categories,  only  members of   the   Ready   Reserve   may   receive   pay   for participation  in  Reserve  training. Selected Reserve Within the Ready Reserve the Navy maintains Selected Reserve Forces. The units and individuals within  the  Selected  Reserve  are  so  essential  to initial wartime missions that they require a high degree of mobilization readiness. Therefore, they must  take  part  in  active-duty  training  and  annual training in a pay status. As  the  initial  and  primary  source  of  Active Fleet   augmentation,    the   Selected   Reserve   is immediately   deployable   upon   mobilization.   It must,  therefore,  be  continuously  combat  ready and  immediately  responsible  in  times  of  crisis. Individual Ready Reserve (IRR) The Individual Ready Reserve (IRR) consists of those members of the Ready Reserve who are not   in   the   Selected   Reserve.   Limitation   of available  pay  billets,  absence  of  drilling  units 15-2