United States Navy Reserve

Although the Navy Reserve wasn’t officially formed until March 1915, after the beginning of World War I, the concept of citizen sailor has its roots in the battle for American independence when the small Continental Navy needed more manpower. An organized Navy battalion in Massachusetts in 1888 saw the first use of a reserve group, and less than 10 years later, 16 states had their own Navy units.

Throughout other wars and international conflicts, the Navy Reserve has made its presence felt, including Navy Reservists who tracked enemy U-boats during World War I, increased support from over 21,000 Reservists during Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm, and even the service of five future U.S. presidents, John F. Kennedy, Lyndon B. Johnson, Richard Nixon, Gerald Ford and George H. W. Bush, during World War II when the Navy would grow to include over 3 million sailors. Today, Navy Reservists make up about 20 percent of the total Navy force. They come from all walks of life, serve part-time, and are asked to perform the same duties as their Active Duty counterparts.

To join the Navy Reserves, one must meet basic requirements, including citizenship (U.S. citizen, U.S. naturalized citizen, or legal permanent resident alien), age (between 18 and 39, with the ability to have 20 years of total service by age 60), health (pass a physical exam), height (between 60 to 80 inches tall for both men and women), and education (minimum of a high school diploma for Enlisted personnel and an undergraduate degree for Officers).

After clearing all of the requirements and passing the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB) test, Navy Reserve enlistees must attend Recruit Training, also known as boot camp, in Great Lakes, Illinois for a seven to nine-week course before they can be considered a sailor in the Reserve unit.

Those who have never served in the military before usually serve between two to eight years. For soldiers with current or prior experience, service length is dependent on several different factors.

Serving in the Reserves requires a minimum commitment of one weekend a month and two weeks a year. Often, these training exercises can be scheduled at a location near home. One weekend a month, Reservists are required to attend a drill that’s about 16 hours long at a nearby training facility. The commitment can also be fulfilled in one extended mission or on weekdays, if a Reservist’s schedule doesn’t permit training on weekends. The two-week annual training typically involves command exercises with one’s drilling Reserve detachment. This can take a Reservist across the country or even internationally. Navy Reserve units can be deployed at any time, depending on the needs and resources of the military, so sailors must always be at the ready.