Ordering the Selected Reserve and Certain Individual Ready Reserve Members of the Armed Forces to Active Duty

This executive order authorizes the mobilization of Selected Reserve and certain Individual Ready Reserve members to active duty to support Operation United Assistance, the U.S. military's humanitarian response to the 2014 Ebola outbreak in West Africa. The order delegates authority to the Secretary of Defense and Secretary of Homeland Security (for Coast Guard) to activate reserve units and essential individual members, and to later terminate their active service.

Federal Register Open PDF 79 FR 63287

Key directives

Authorize Secretary of Defense to order Selected Reserve and certain Individual Ready Reserve members to active duty
Authorize Secretary of Homeland Security to activate Coast Guard reserve members when Coast Guard not operating as Navy service
Limit activation to support of Operation United Assistance for Ebola response in West Africa
Authorize respective Secretaries to terminate active duty service of ordered units and members

Who is ordered

Timeline

Immediate

Authorization for reserve activation takes effect upon signing

Near term (90d)

Reserve units and individuals ordered to active duty for Operation United Assistance
Deployment to West Africa for Ebola response support

Long term

Termination of active duty service for mobilized reservists (timing delegated to Secretaries)

Risks & tensions

No numerical cap specified on number of reservists who may be activated—delegation is broad
No explicit sunset date or duration limit stated in order itself; termination authority left to Secretaries' discretion
Operation United Assistance context implies time-limited humanitarian mission, but order text does not constrain duration
Standard 'no right or benefit' disclaimer limits legal recourse for affected reservists