United States Air Force Reserve

The United States Air Force Reserve Command is a major command (MAJCOM) of the U.S. Air Force. Although President Harry Truman formed the Reserve program just a year after the Air Force was formed in 1947 as an insurance policy in case of emergency, in February 1997, the Air Force Reserve turned from a Field Operating Agency (FOA) into a MAJCOM.

The Reserve Command is headquartered at Robins Air Force Base in Houston County, Georgia. At present, there are over 465,000 members in the entire Air Force Reserve Command that are eligible to be called up, either in Ready Reserve, Standby, or Retired Reserve.

About 118,000 trained Reservists make up the Ready Reserve: 70,000 members in Selective Reserve, along with an additional 42,000 in the Individual Ready Reserve (IRR). Of those in Selective Reserve, 50,000 are traditional Reservists, or those who serve one weekend a month and are on temporary duty for two weeks a year. The Reservists who serve in the Unit Program make up a bulk of those in the Reserves.

There are approximately 8,700 Individual Mobilization Augmentees (IMAs). IMAs can live anywhere, and work part-time, serving in various locations worldwide, as they augment active duty units. Their schedules are flexible, but most usually serve about 24 days annually. Often, IMAs are prior active duty members, and their jobs are important during wartime, but are not essential in times of peace.

Other groups in the Reserve Command are Air Reserve Technicians (ART), who carry dual status as they perform the same civil service duties during the week as they do during drill weekends as reservists, and Active Guard Reserve (AGR), who are Reservists that have jobs with the Air Force Reserve that necessitate full-time manning, such as recruitment officers. AGRs serve four year tours that can be renewed, and they get full pay and benefits, including the chance to receive retirement after 20 years.

The primary goal of the Air Force Reserve Command is to assist active duty units with combat-ready soldiers when the Regular component of the Air Force needs more support. Reservists perform about 20 percent of the daily missions of the Air Force, and in some instances, even more, such as for Aeromedical missions. The Air Force Reserve conducts affairs in locations worldwide, such as Air Force Bases and Air Stations.

Enlisting without prior military service requires applicants to be between 17 to 34 years old, healthy, and of strong character. One must also pass the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB), which will determine eligibility. Eligible recruits are then required to attend Basic Military Training for eight and a half weeks. Those who have previously served in the military may also be eligible to join the Air Force Reserve, regardless of which military branch they served in.