A new pilot program will begin next week to determine whether Individual Ready Reserve, or IRR, soldiers attached to Reserve units in their geographic areas receive better support.

At the Association of the United States Army conference in Washington, D.C., in October, Army Reserve Chief Lt. Gen. Jack Stultz noted that he had spoken to Lt. Gen. Thomas Bostick, deputy chief of staff for human resources, "about a continuum of service that allows soldiers to seamlessly transition between active and reserve duty" said Lt. Col. Maria Quon, media relations branch chief for Army Reserve Communications at the Office of the Chief, Army Reserve.

"He discussed the IRR's place in that continuum of service, and ways to improve support to IRR soldiers," Quon said. The yearlong pilot program, beginning Dec. 1, will pair 150 IRR soldiers with 12 Reserve units (brigade level or higher) around the country to study whether the soldiers receive more effective support.

Those who enlist in the Army are obligated to complete a term of service, usually eight years, according to information on the Human Resources Command web site (www.hrc.army.mil). Soldiers typically serve a portion of that obligation on active duty (generally two to four years), with the remainder spent in a reserve category. Along with IRR, soldiers can opt for Active Reserve, Troop Program Unit and Individual Mobilization Augmentee status.

During the IRR term of service, soldiers can be called back to active duty. They also must meet annual requirements such as updating personal information and completing questionnaires online.

They are not required to attend drill or other military training, but may be called to attend a muster once a year to update paperwork.

"The IRR has no dedicated unit for support," said Quon. "If (soldiers) are affiliated with a unit, (the study will examine if) it will be easier for them to get support."

The IRR soldiers taking part in the program would not be required to drill with their affiliated unit, but "the unit would provide him or her with personnel support as well as family support on an ongoing basis."

The program will examine how the affiliated soldiers affect the unit's workload; if policy changes will be needed to continue the program; if IRR soldiers used the program; and ultimately if it improved soldier readiness, Quon said.

Having services available closer to home "should make it easier for them to get what they need," she said.