Guard vs. Reserves

There are two branches of service in the United States Military that have both a Guard and a Reserve.  The Army is supported by the Army National Guard and the Army Reserves while the Air Force is supported by the Air National Guard and the Air Force Reserves.  Ever wonder about the difference between the Guard and Reserves?  Here is some information about the difference with help from my friend, First Lieutenant Jacob Fry (PA National Guard).

National Guard:

The National Guard is a state asset, meaning that each state funds and operates its own National Guard.  They are not federally funded or under the authority of the federal government.  The National Guard houses the combat types of units and MOS’s (Military Occupational Specialty).  For example, the National Guard has infantry, armor, artillery, and even Special Forces units while the Reserves have mainly support MOS’s and no combat units.  While the overall mission is very similar to the Reserves in scope, the National Guard also serves during times of natural disasters or other internal emergencies.  This is due to the fact that the Guard is a state asset and therefore easier to mobilize than the Reserves.  Also due to the fact that the Guard is state funded, soldiers in the Guard receive slightly different education benefits depending on whether they attend a state school or not i.e. Penn State, Kutztown, etc.  The last major difference has to do with promotion and unit assignment.  Soldiers compete for promotions only against other soldiers from their state and cannot be forced to move to a unit outside of that state. 

Reserves:

First and foremost the Reserves are a federal asset, meaning they are funded, controlled, and under the authority of the federal government.  The Reserves possess mainly support MOS’s such as military police, transportation, etc.  The Guard can also possess these types of MOS’s but the Reserves have a greater number of these types.  The Reserves can also serve in a time of need other than an overseas deployment.  However, it is slightly more difficult to mobilize than the National Guard.  In terms of education, soldiers in the Reserves are eligible to receive different kinds of federal tuition assistance that may not be available to soldiers in the National Guard.  Because the Reserves are a federal organization, soldiers compete for promotion with a much larger number of other soldiers.  This is beneficial because it greatly increases their chances of being promoted.  However, they are not guaranteed to stay within their state and may have to move to a unit outside their state to fill that promotion slot.  They may also be “cross-leveled,” which means they can be transferred to another unit without their explicit consent.

Thank You

Everyday men AND women fight for our rights and freedoms.  Without the work of these soldiers, we would not be able to live our lives as carefree as we do.  Members of our armed forces should be honored for their heroic and courageous acts.  So give thanks to any service members you might see - they deserve it!

*caution - this video contains some graphic photos

Logos and Stats for Each Service Branch

The seals for the four main branches of the Military.  Remember – the Coast Guard is no longer considered a main branch since they have been transferred to the Department of Homeland Security.

Some statistics of personnel in each branch of the military as of 2009:

Army

Total: 548,000  Enlisted: 456,651  Officer: 88,093

Navy

Total: 332,000  Enlisted: 276,279  Officer: 51,093

Air Force

Total: 323,000  Enlisted: 261,193  Officer: 64,370

Marine Corps

Total: 203,095  Enlisted: 182,147  Officer: 20,639

The Four Main Military Branches

There are four main branches of the United States Military: Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marine Corp.  *The Coast Guard used to be a branch of the Military but it now falls under the Department of National Security.

The Army is the oldest Military service, established in 1775.  The Army is the main ground force of the United States defending and protecting through the use of ground troops, artillery, armor, attack helicopter, etc.  Two reserve forces support the Army: The Army Reserves and The Army National Guard.  These forces can be called to help out in times of need. 

The Navy, also established in 1775, is responsible for defending the right to travel and trade freely on the oceans as well as protect national interests overseas.  The Navy supplies submarines and air power through the use of aircraft carriers, usually fighters or fighter bombers.  Another task of the Navy is to transport Marines to areas of conflict.  The Navy is supported only by the Naval Reserves as there is no Naval National Guard.

The Air Force is the newest of Military services, established in 1947.  Originally created to support the Army's ground forces, they became a separate service after World War II.  The Air Force is now used to defend the United States by use of the air and space.  The Air Force operates helicopters, fighter aircraft, tanker aircraft, transport aircraft, light and heavy bomber aircraft, etc.  Like the Army, the Air Force also has an Air Force National Guard and an Air Force Reserves. 

The Marine Corp, separated from the Navy in 1798, is the smallest branch of the United States Military.  Marines are often referred to as the “Infantry of the Navy” and they are often first on the ground in combat missions.  Marines have their own airpower such as attack helicopters, attack fighter aircrafts, bomber aircrafts, etc.  Still very dependent on the Navy, the Marines don’t even have their own medics.  Also like the Navy there is only the Marine Corp Reserve and no Marine Corp National Guard.