DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY
O
FFICE
O
F THE
S
ECRETA
RY
1000
NA
VY
PENTAGON
WASHINGTON DC 20350·1000
SECNAVINST 1800.2A
ASN (M&RA)
28 Mar 2019
SECNAV INSTRUCTION 1800.2A
Subj: POLICY AND PROCEDURES FOR RESERVE COMPONENT MEMBER
SERVICE BEYOND 16 YEARS OF ACTIVE DUTY SERVICE
Ref: (a) 10 U.S.C.
(b) SECNAVINST 1920.6C
(c) SECNAVINST 5200.35F
(d) SECNAVINST 5214.1
Encl: (1) Cumulative Active Duty Service Statement
1. Purpose. To establish policies and procedures governing
Reserve Component (RC) member performance of active duty beyond
16 years of cumulative active duty service. Prudent and
effective management of reserve manpower will prevent unintended
impacts of statutory restrictions and position the Navy and
Marine Corps to meet future mission requirements.
2. Cancellation. SECNAVINST 1800.2.
3. Applicability. This instruction applies to all members of
the Navy and Marine Corps Reserve Component.
4. Background. Per section 12686 of reference (a), and
reference (b), a member of the RC who is on active duty (other
than for training) and is within two years of becoming eligible
for retired pay or retainer pay under a purely military
retirement system (other than the retirement system under
chapter 1223 of reference (a)), may not be involuntarily
released from that duty before he or she becomes eligible for
that pay, unless the release is approved by the Secretary of the
Navy. The period during which a member is on active duty and
within two years of retirement eligibility (subject to the
conditions set forth above) is commonly known as “sanctuary.”
Navy and Marine Corps policies have established eligibility
criteria providing that an RC member must have approval to
surpass 16 years of total active military service in order to
qualify for receipt of active-duty orders issued pursuant to
section 12301 of reference (a).
