difference between active duty and guard
Active Duty vs. Reserve or National Guard What is the difference between someone who is active duty military and someone who is in the Reserve or National Guard? A person who is active duty is in the military full time. They work for the military full time, may live on a military base, and can be deployed at any time. Persons in the Reserve or National Guard are not full-time active duty military personnel, although they can be deployed at any time should the need arise. The Reserve Each branch of the military has a Reserve component and the Reserve are under the command of their respective military branch (e.g., Army Reserve are under the command of the Army).