Difference Between Active Duty And Reserve
Active duty and Reserve are two branches to serve in while joining the military. A person can choose between the two of them and can serve in the military as he wants. In both, the person will be called a militant though the perks given to him will be slightly different and the responsibilities will be different as well.
Active Duty vs Reserve
The main difference between active duty and reserve is that active duty is a full-time job in the armed force. They have to be on-site where they are posted full-time, they don’t have much say in where they live. On the other hand, reserve duty is a part-time job, the candidates can have a half civilian life, live in their own houses.
Active-duty soldiers can be sent to any military station in the US. It depends on which unit they are positioned in and what mission lies ahead. They live in the militant bases. They receive full payment for their service and are given many benefits as well.
Reserve soldiers have the flexibility of getting their training from a location nearby their home. So they can complete their education while they are training. They serve as soldiers part-time and they only have to serve full-time when they are called up for active duty.
Comparison Table Between Active Duty And Reserve
| Parameters of Comparison | Active Duty | Reserve Duty |
| Definition | Active duty is a full-time service by a candidate in the military for the country. | Reserve duty is also service to the nation as a militant though it is more like a part-time job. The soldier has to do the service half-time only. |
| Benefits | The soldier is given full benefits of educational, healthcare, and retirement plans. | The soldier is given many benefits but not full benefits as compared to the active-duty soldiers. |
| Compensation | Their compensation package includes bonuses and training allowance. | Their compensation depends on the training time and period of active duty. |
| Deployment | They can be deployed anywhere. | They are stationed nearby their home and can only be deployed in case of emergencies. |
| Leave | They can have a leave of 30 days a year. | They can have a leave of 20 days a year. |
What Is Active Duty?
Active duty is a 24/7 job serving the nation. The soldiers who get military training and opt for full-time service for the countries protection are the active-duty soldiers. Anyone with US citizenship, a High school diploma, and above 18 years of age can apply for being a soldier. The military then chooses the candidate depending on height, weight, fitness, and some other aspects.
After the training with the active duty position, the candidate can be deployed to any station the government wants. The posting depends on the unit the soldier is in and the mission which lies ahead. And it will be a full-time job. The soldier is given full payment monthly and many benefits like medical benefits, dental benefits, education benefits, retirement plans, housing, and food allowance, etc. The soldier can retire after 20 years of service with a full retirement plan.
The active-duty soldiers get leave for 30 days per year. And a time of which is known as liberty for a while which can be 24, 48, 72, or 96 hours. And the sick time is also given when approved by medical personnel. The sick leave is not counted against the leave.
What is Reserve?
The reserve is not a full-time duty, it is like a part-time job. The candidate will only be on duty for half time and the other half of the day he can spend as a normal civilian. The candidate has been given the location for the training which is nearby his/her house. So they can complete their education and live nearby home. They will only get deployed to another station when they are called for active duty service.
Since reserve duty is part-time, the benefits given are also partial. The soldier is given a modified retirement plan, health, and dental medical benefits. The benefit includes a healthcare plan, educational assistance if the service years are at least six, TSP, etc. Also, the soldier can retire after 20 years of service but will not be given as much benefit as the active duty service soldiers.
The reserve duty soldiers can join active duty if they want or they can also return to their civilian life. If they join active duty they will be given full benefits. The leave and liberty also differ for the reserve duty soldiers. They can have a leave of 20 days per year. And the liberty will be according to the conditions of the base.
Main Differences Between Active Duty And Reserve
Conclusion
Active duty and reserve duty are duties to serve the nation. In both the armed force services, you will be obliged to complete the minimum service requirements. Active-duty soldiers have full-time duties and receive full-time payment as well as benefits. They don’t have the choice to choose where they live. they are positioned into units and deployed to any base based on the duty requirements.
Reserve duty soldiers serve only half-time and so they can choose where they want to be stationed for the training. So they can live half-civilian life as well. Though the payment is not full and the same with the benefits of the soldiers. They can only be deployed when they are called for full-time active duty.
References
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