How is the National Guard different from the Reserves?
Although the National Guard is a part of this nation’s reserve forces, there are a few differences between the Army or Air Force Reserve and the Guard. The National Guard is by far the oldest component of any of the uniformed services. It traces its roots to the colonial militia, and claims a “birthday” of 1636. By comparison, the U.S. Army was founded in 1775 (its first units all came out of the colonial militia) and the U.S. Air Force was created in 1947. More importantly, the National Guard maintains a unique “dual status” – both State and Federal – that no other service or component has. This dual status is rooted in Article 1, Section 8 of the Constitution, which states that “Congress shall have the power … To provide for organizing, arming, and disciplining, the Militia, and for governing such part of them as may be employed in the service of the United States, reserving to the States respectively, the appointment of the officers, and the authority of training the Militia accor
Related Questions
- I am currently classified as an out-of-state student, but I am enrolling in the National Guard or Reserves and will make Pennsylvania my home of record. Do I now qualify for in-state tuition?
- How is the National Guard different from the Army or Air Force Reserve?
- How is the National Guard different from the Reserves?
