Department of Defense
INSTRUCTION
NUMBER 1200.15
March 13, 2014
USD(P&R)
SUBJECT: Assignment to and Transfer Between Reserve Categories, Discharge from Reserve
Status, Transfer to the Retired Reserve, and Notification of Eligibility for Retired
Pay
References: See Enclosure 1
1. PURPOSE. This instruction reissues DoD Instruction (DoDI) 1200.15 (Reference (a)) in
accordance with the authority of DoD Directive (DoDD) 5124.02 (Reference (b)) to establish
policy, assign responsibilities, and provide procedures for:
a. Assignment of a member of a Military Service to, and transfer between, Reserve
categories and discharge from Reserve status.
b. Transfer of an officer or enlisted Service member who has completed the service required
for a non-regular retirement to the Retired Reserve.
c. Notification of a person by the Secretary of the Military Department concerned or
Commandant of the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) when he or she has completed the years of
service required for eligibility for retired pay pursuant to section 12731 of Title 10, United States
Code (U.S.C.) (Reference (c)).
2. APPLICABILITY. This instruction applies to OSD, the Military Departments (including the
Coast Guard at all times, including when it is a Service in the Department of Homeland Security
by agreement with that Department), the Office of the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and
the Joint Staff, the Combatant Commands, the Office of the Inspector General of the Department
of Defense, the Defense Agencies, the DoD Field Activities, and all other organizational entities
within the DoD.
3. POLICY. It is DoD policy that Service members be properly transferred between Reserve
categories, discharged, retired, and notified of eligibility for retired pay in accordance with
12731 of Reference (c), if qualified.
