Oct. 25, 2005

Oct. 28, 2005, is the last day for certain members and some former members of the National Guard and Reserve to execute a service agreement with their Service/Reserve Component to purchase TRICARE Reserve Select.

TRS is a Department of Defense program that offers comprehensive health coverage similar to TRICARE Standard and Extra. National Guard and Reserve members who served on active duty for more than 30 days in support of a contingency operation on or after Sept. 11, 2001, and whose last day of active duty service was on or before April 26, 2005, have until October 28 to execute the service agreement. If a service agreement is not final by that date, they lose their opportunity to purchase TRS coverage based upon any active service that ended on or before April 26, 2005.

To purchase TRS coverage, members of the National Guard and Reserve must enter into a service agreement (DD Form 2895) with their Service/Reserve Component. After the service agreement has been executed and signed by the member and the Service/Reserve Component, the member must submit a completed TRS enrollment application and one-month's premium ($75 for self or $233 for self and family member coverage) to their TRICARE regional contractor to enroll. TRS coverage for these members and their covered family members begins the day the service agreement is signed by the Service/Reserve Component or the first day after health care benefits under the Transitional Assistance Management Program end for members, whichever is later.

Reserve Component members will need to get the service agreement and the TRS enrollment application through the TRS link on the Guard- Reserve Portal. Instructions are available on the website. Other TRS- related information, including a TRS handbook, Reserve Component contacts and a list of TRICARE regional contractors are available on the TRICARE Website.

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