Army Reserve Deployment Policy

According to the U.S. Army website, the Army Reserve was officially created on April 23,1908 as the Medical Reserve Corps. Prior to this, the idea of a part-time civilian fighting force dates back to the Revolutionary War period of history and the rapid deployment of Minutemen. Deployment procedures for the Army Reserve now vary.

Reserve

The Today's Military website reports the Army Reserve is a military service allowing members to live and work at home, but be available to the U.S. Army when needed. Army Reserve units meet one weekend each month for drilling purposes and serve around two weeks each year of active military duty.

Deployment

According to the "Army Times" website, the Army Reserve only can be called into active duty by the president, Congress or the secretary of defense.

Types of Deployment

Only Congress has the power to order a full deployment of the Army Reserve in the event of a war or national emergency. The Army Times website explains that the president can mobilize members of the Army Reserve for a limited deployment period of a maximum of 24 months. The secretary of defense is limited to calling up Reservists for a period of 15 days.

References

• "Army Times": Guard & Reserve 2010-Activation and Deployment
• Today's Military: Army Reserve
• U.S. Army: Army Reserve-A Century of Service