Active military duty means many things. Active military duty is also commonly referred to as AD. This title applies to anyone who is full time military. It also includes the Reserve Components of the military, who are training full time or on active duty. The term ‘active duty military’ does not refer to full time National Guard duty.
- Active duty for special work. This refers to active duty for reserve personnel work and reserve personnel training. This can include unit conversion to new weapons systems, training ship operations, training camp operations and annual screenings. All of these things are vital for reserve personnel, as they must be prepared to be called upon for active duty at any moment. The military has a policy that all active duty for special work be limited to 179 per fiscal year. Active duty for special work can also apply to administrative duties, study groups and training exercises.
- Active duty for training. This refers to training members of the reserves, who are serving as reserve personnel, but may be called upon during a time of war or national emergency. The person is under orders to serve as needed, but will usually return to reserve duty when the training is completed. This active duty for training can include school tours, annual training, special tours of active duty for training and other duties required of nonprior military personnel.
- Can I be released from active military duty? In some cases, you can be released from active military duty and switched to the reserves. This involves consulting your recruiter and active duty (AD) to reserves, which is called Conditional Release. This means that the branch of the military will release you on the condition that you are going into reserves. Like many other things in the military, it is all a matter of paperwork.
- How long will it take me to go from reserves to AD? This is something that some who complete reserves training realize they want after the initial paperwork to serve in the military has been filed. On average, you can expect to wait anywhere from six months to a year to get an answer on whether you qualify for AD. The military seems to run a more rigorous application process for those who are initially reserves, so it is wise to look at all of your options up front before choosing which sect of the military you explore as a career.
Learn more about active military duty by visiting Servicememberscivilreliefact.com. For those searching for friends or loved ones who are active military duty, our site will help you find what you’ve been looking for.
