Air Force Reserves Vs. Air Force

The U.S. Air Force and the Air Force Reserve form a complementary and essential part of the military forces today. As the Air Force and Air Force Reserve modernize and evolve to meet current threats and challenges, their general roles have not changed.

History

The Air Force was created in 1948 from the U.S. Army Air Corps. In 1949, the Air Force Reserves were created to supplement the new Air Force. The Air Force was created to project air power in theaters of war and to protect U.S. airspace. The Air Force Reserves were originally intended to be a backup force for the active-duty Air Force. In the late 1990s, the Air Force Reserves began performing more of the active-duty Air Force's missions as part of the evolution of U.S. military structure.

Organization

There were 368,000 active-duty and reservist members of the Air Force in 2003, according to the U.S. Census. Of those, 67,500 are members of the Air Force Reserves. Technically, the Air Force Reserve is one of the 10 major commands within the Air Force. Each major command is composed of a number of Air Forces, wings, groups, squadrons and flights in descending order. Each major command has a specific responsibility and role to play within the U.S. Air Force.

Responsiblities of the Air Force

The active-duty Air Force takes on a variety of challenges that are unique to only the Air Force. The Air Force is specifically responsible for strategic and tactical air power projected overseas as part of the U.S. national defense. Further, the Air Force is committed to providing for national defense in space and in cyberspace.

Role of the Air Force Reserves

The Air Force Reserves' primary job is to support the Air Force in accomplishing its responsibilities. The Air Force Reserve handles about a fifth of the work daily on U.S. Air Force bases worldwide. The Air Force Reserves also are responsible for providing weather observation, airlift services, firefighting aircraft and medical evacuation in support of civilian and military personnel.

Differences

The primary difference between the Air Force and the Air Force Reserves is the commitment of the service members. Members of the Air Force are active-duty airmen, and their position in the Air Force is their primary job. Members of the Air Force Reserves are usually part-time airmen. Air Force reservists are required to serve one weekend a month and one two-week period each year.

References

• U.S. Census Press Releases
• What We Do
• The U.S. Air Force