As an exception to policy (ETP), the Retention Control Point (RCP) for Regular Army promotable Soldiers who are serving, or scheduled for training in, a balanced or shortage MOS, as announced on the current update to Reclassification In/Out Call MILPER Message, will be extended as follows: promotable Soldiers in the grade of E4 to 10 years active Federal service, and promotable Soldiers in the grade of E5 to 15 years active Federal service.

This ETP only applies to Soldiers who are otherwise fully eligible for retention (e.g., Soldiers with an Immediate Reenlistment Prohibition Code of 10, 11, or 9G). This policy message serves as the source document for the ETP. No further documentation is required (e.g., DA Form 4187).

This ETP does not pertain to Soldiers already on transition leave, or whose ETS date is on or before 20 March 2017. However, if these Soldiers request continued service, and are subsequently approved by their immediate Commander, will become eligible for this ETP.

Army Directive 2016-19 (Retaining a Quality NCO Corps)

Retention Control Point. For the Regular Army and Army Reserve (Active Guard Reserve) only, effective 1 October 2016, senior NCOs selected by a Headquarters, Department of the Army centralized board that convened before the date of this directive will have an RCP of 12 months remaining in service.

Soldiers who exceed their RCP as a result of their reduction in grade or removal from a promotion list must retire or separate from the Army no earlier than 90 days or no later than 180 days after effective date of their reduction in grade. Soldiers with 18 or more years of active Federal service who exceed their RCP as result of a reduction in rank may serve to meet the minimum retirement eligibility unless involuntarily separated by the Secretary of the army or his designated representative.

A phased roll-back mitigates the risk to individual Soldiers and other Army programs.

Notes:

1. Active service is defined as service on active duty.

2. Command sergeants major (CSMs) and sergeants major (SGMs) (at Headquarters, Department of the Army and Army Commands) serving in nominative positions where the CSM/SGM is rated by a general officer, member of the Senior Executive Service or equivalent, or serving as CSM at the U.S. Army Sergeants Major Academy or as Executive Officer to the Sergeant Major of the Army are authorized to serve beyond 30 years total active service while serving in the position. The Vice Chief of Staff of the Army must approve exceptions for operational reasons. Upon leaving a position which authorizes service beyond 30 years, NCOs who have not applied for retirement will be classified using special reporting code 09U (see note 4)

3. “Promotable” refers to RA and USAR only. The ARNG AGR Title 10 Program has no “promotable” status; those RCPs are established at the “nonpromotable” grade.

4. The RCP for Soldiers classified in reporting code 09U is 9 months from the effective date of classification.