Some Guard and reserve members -- and some former members -- must sign up to buy Tricare Reserve Select by Oct. 28.

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 90 days or more 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 Oct. 28 to execute the service agreement, said Tricare officials.

If a service agreement is not final by that date, they lose their opportunity to purchase TRS coverage based upon any active duty that ended on or before April 26, 2005.

To purchase TRS coverage, Guard and reserve members must enter into a service agreement by filing out a DD Form 2895, Agreement to Serve in the Selected Reserve for Tricare Reserve Select.

To enroll -- after the member executes and signs the service agreement and turns it into their service or reserve component -- a member must submit a completed TRS enrollment application and one-month’s premium ($75 for the member, or $233 for the member and his or her family) to their TRICARE regional contractor.

TRS coverage for these members and their covered family members begins the day the service agreement is signed by their service or reserve component -- or the first day after health care benefits under the Transitional Assistance Management Program end for members, whichever is later.

Reserve members will need to get the service agreement and the TRS enrollment application through the TRS link on the Guard-Reserve Portal: www.dmdc.osd.mil/Guard-ReservePortal. Instructions are available on the Web site.

Other TRS-related information, including a TRS handbook, Reserve Component contacts and a list of TRICARE regional contractors are available on the TRICARE Web site: www.tricare.osd.mil/reserve/reserveselect.

(Courtesy of Tricare Management Activity)