Commander, Navy Reserve Force (CNRF) issued new guidance June 11 for resuming regular on-site drills at Navy Operational Support Centers (NOSC).

The new guidance, ALNAVRESFOR 013/20, provides a methodical approach for resuming weekend drills across the force while mitigating the risk for COVID-19. The process is dependent upon local conditions, guidance from the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention, guidance from Commander, Navy Installations Command, and approval from the CNRF chain of command.

“As some of our NOSCs begin to see the risk of the COVID-19 pandemic decline in their states and local communities, we need to begin a phased and methodical approach to bringing our Reservists back to regular, on-site drills starting in July” said Rear Adm. John Schommer, commander, Navy Reserve Forces Command (CNRFC). “We want to enable our NOSCs to start bringing their Sailors back to the drill, to support missions and individual readiness, based on local conditions. This will not be a ‘one size fits all’ return to one-site drills.”

An important part of the process is considering the Health Protection Condition (HPCON) of a NOSC’s installation, or in the case of an off-installation NOSC, the NOSC’s Navy Region, such as Navy Region Southwest or Region Mid-Atlantic.

“Once a NOSC commanding officer determines that all of the criteria is met for on-site drills, he or she will submit a request to their Navy Region Reserve Component Command (RCC) for approval,” said Errin Armstrong, chief of staff, CNRFC. “Over the past several weeks, roughly two dozen Full Time Support (FTS) and Selected Reserve (SELRES) Sailors from across the CNRF claimancy addressed some of the biggest issues with returning to drills, such as medical supplies and physical-spacing requirements. They have developed resources for NOSC commanding officers to reference as they go through this process.”

If local conditions are not right, however, Reservists can continue to perform liberal telework to earn their drill points and pay. The earliest a NOSC could theoretically resume on-site drills is July 11.

“We know that while some Reservists might be able to get back to regular drills, some may not have that opportunity,” said Armstrong. “Therefore, we want to be as flexible as possible.”

Reservists with health or overall concerns about the plan moving forward should speak with their chain of command as soon as possible.

“There will be a normal tension between resuming drills, but also protecting our Reservists from unnecessary risk to the enduring pandemic,” said Schommer. “Our NOSC COs are expected to take a measured risk-informed approach, and our Reservists are expected to follow public health measures to facilitate the balance of risk to mission and risk to force.”

Official messages from CNRF and CNRFC can be found at the following site:

https://www.public.navy.mil/nrh/Pages/All-Navy-Reserve-Force-Messages.aspx

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