Bar to Continued Service – IAW Army Directive 2016-19, effective 1 October 2016, the Army predesignates the bar to reenlistment (RA and USAR only) as the bar to continued service. A bar to continued service places a Soldiers on notice that his or her continued service may not be in the Army’s best interest. Applicable to all enlisted ranks regardless of the established RCP/maximum age for each rank, a bar to continued service limits continued service to Soldiers of high moral character and personal competence.
Accordingly, Soldiers who currently serve under the NCO Career Status Program (formerly Indefinite Reenlistment Program), including Soldiers transitioning from the RA to a reserve component, may be barred from continued service. Soldiers who do not overcome a bar to continued service will be separated from the Army IAW AR 635-200 (Chapter 13 will incorporate changes) and AR 135-178. Soldiers who are separated because of a bar, or who depart the Army with a bar in place, will have a reentry code of “3” annotated on the DD Form 214 (Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty) or established in their permanent records. USAR Soldiers not eligible for a DD Form 214 will have a “Bar to Continued Service” annotation in the remarks section of their discharge orders. This code requires a waiver for reentry into any Army component.
Standards for Continued Service – Only Soldiers of high moral character, personal competence, and demonstrated adaptability to the requirements of the professional Soldier’s moral code will be authorized continued service. All Soldiers should be evaluated under the “whole person” concept. Soldiers who cannot, or do not, measure up to such standards, but whose immediate separation under proper administrative procedures is not warranted at the present time, will be barred from further service.
(1) He or she is not a candidate for reenlistment or continued service in any Army component.
(2) He or she is a candidate for separation if the circumstances that led to the bar to continued service are not overcome. Soldiers will be advised exactly what is expected for them to overcome the bar to continued service and will be given explicit timetables to overcome the reasons for the bar.
The bar to continued service is a punitive action. Imposition of a bar to continued service does not prevent administrative separation at a later date. The bar to continued service should be initiated before a separation or judicial and/or nonjudicial action because it is intended to put the Soldier on notice that –
(1) He or she is not a candidate for reenlistment or continued service in any Army component.
(2) He or she is a candidate for separation if the circumstances that led to the bar to continued service are not overcome. Soldiers will be advised exactly what is expected for them to overcome the bar to continued service and will be given explicit timetables to overcome the reasons for the bar.
Mandatory Bar to Continued Service – IAW AR 601-280, para 8-4e: Commanders must initiate a bar to continued service or separation proceedings (as applicable per AR 635-200) against Soldiers who meet the following criteria. Commanders are not required to initiate a bar to continued service on Soldiers who were promoted, selected in a promotable status, selected for promotion by an HQDA promotion board for SFC-MSG, who previously overcame the reasons below before 1 March 2012, or reenlisted after the below listed incident(s) occurred. Although these reasons are mandatory to initiate, the bar may be removed IAW Appendix K when the Soldier overcomes the deficiency. The Soldier–
(1) Does not make satisfactory progress in the Army Body Composition Program (see AR 600-9)
(2) Fails two consecutive APFT (See AR 350-41)
(3) Is removed for cause from NCOES courses (see glossary)
(4) Lost PMOS qualification IAW DA Pam 611-21 due to fault of the Soldier.
(5) Is denied by the commander for automatic integration onto the SGT or SSG promotion standing list IAW AR 600-8-19.
(6) Has an incident involving the use of illegal drugs or alcohol within the current enlistment and/or reenlistment period resulting in an officially filed letter of reprimand; a finding of guilty under Article 15, UCMJ; a civilian criminal conviction; or a conviction by court-martial.
(7) Has two or more separate proceedings under Article 15, UCMJ resulting in a finding of guilty by a field grade commander during the Soldier’s current enlistment or period of service.
(8) Is AWOL more than 96 hours during the current enlistment and/or reenlistment period.