The reserves of the United States Armed Forces are military organizations within which members perform a minimum of 39 days of service per year and provide support for active-duty forces when necessary.
While our social feeds and blog posts generally spotlight service members and organizations on active duty, we believe the reserves deserve ample attention and appreciation. And since all three branches are celebrating recent anniversaries, there’s never been a better time to show our gratitude for those brave men and women who bolster our armed forces.
Join us by taking a deeper dive into the rich history of the reserves.
The U.S. Army Reserve
The Army Reserve was created on April 23, 1908 by the United States Congress with the intent of placing a large portion of soldiers under federal control during peace and war. During World War I, more than 80,000 enlisted Army Reserve soldiers served, with about a third of those soldiers being medical doctors. During World War II, the number of Army Reserve officers on active duty rose from less than 3,000 to more than 57,000. Over the following six decades, the Army Reserve has continued to grow and have been called upon to support the active-duty service during the Korean, Vietnam, and Iraq Wars.
The U.S. Naval Reserve
Established on March 3, 1915, the Naval Reserve was originally only open to Navy veterans. However, within a year of its creation, general enlistment requirements were put into effect, leading to a skyrocketing number of U.S. Naval Reservists. By the end of World War I, enlistment grew to 245,789, which amounted to 54% of the total U.S. Naval Force at the time. By the end of World War II, that number grew to 3 million. In the 106 years since, the Naval Reserve has mobilized their support during nearly every global conflict.
The Air Force Reserve
The youngest reserve branch, the Air Force Reserve, was founded on April 14, 1948. The Air Force initially treated its reserve units as supplemental forces and equipped them with surplus equipment. Members were first mobilized for duty during the Korean War and they served throughout the conflict.
There is no question that all three branches of our military reserves have played a critical role during every global conflict, supporting our active-duty service men and women in their fight to protect our nation. To all our reservists, from all of us here at IHG® Army Hotels, thank you for your continued service.
Photo: ARMY RESERVE unit on weekend training Alex., Va. 1971