What is the length of my commitment?
You will incur an eight-year service obligation four years of which must be served on active duty. There are different aspects of commitment to military service. 10 USC Section 651 states that each person who becomes a member of an armed force shall serve for eight years, and any part of that service that is not active duty shall be performed in a reserve component. This applies to all branches of the military. It means that if you get out of the military after the expiration of your initial active duty contract, your name will be placed on the rolls of the Inactive Ready Reserve, and you may be subject to recall in time of national emergency. No further action is required on your part. However, you may request that you be allowed to join the Ready Reserve, both for drill pay and for retirement credit. If selected, you would be required to drill one weekend a month and two weeks in the summer, and comply with other reserve program requirements.
