What is the difference between Reserves, National Guard?
There are two distinctly different part-time versions of the military forces, the National Guard and the Reserves. Soldiers of the National Guard answer to the governor of Minnesota, and swear to defend against enemies, both foreign and domestic, said Major Kevin Olson of the military public affairs office. The Reserves are the federal version of the military and answer to the president of the United States. Reserve units assist the full-time military units. The public in general might also be confused about volunteer organizations in relation to soldiers being called for active duty, and the draft. The National Guard and Reserves are both volunteer forces. When people sign up for the National Guard, they sign a form and agree to be called up in the event of an emergency, Olson said. In contrast, the draft requires an act of Congress and hasn’t been enacted since the end of Vietnam, Olson said. For now, the Selective Service System remains in a “standby, caretaker” status, according to
