In the Navy Reserve, highly motivated men and women from all walks of life come together to find unrivaled training, undeniable purpose and uncommon adventure — close to home and across the globe. They discover camaraderie that’s rarely experienced in the everyday world. And they benefit on many fronts: personally, professionally and financially.
Learn more about what it means to serve in the Navy Reserve. And how you can successfully balance patriotic duty, personal commitments and everyday career interests.
The Reservist Role
Navy Reservists are trained professionals supporting the defense of our nation. They are individuals committed to serving a minimum of one weekend a month at any of hundreds of locations across the country plus two weeks a year training in the U.S. or around the world.
Today’s Navy Reserve composes 20 percent of the Navy’s Total Force. Standing on even ground with Active Duty personnel, Reservists make a valuable contribution to ongoing Navy operations. And train with the best the Navy has to offer.
Navy Reservists are free to pursue their own goals in the civilian world while having the ability to escape the ordinary each month and each year. With the prospect of achieving professional and personal goals faster.
Learn more about ways to join, or contact a Navy Reserve Recruiter for more information.
A Unified Mission
Whether working in the U.S. or abroad, on shore, at sea or in the air, today’s Navy Reservists are an integral part of the U.S. Navy, key members of one of the most capable forces the world has ever seen.
The Navy Reserve provides the full range of Navy operations with mission-capable units and personnel during peacetime and war. And, every day, the integration between the Navy and Navy Reserve becomes clearer. In the years ahead, this Total Force concept will grow stronger, elevating the role of the Navy Reserve and its Reservists as never before.
Serving side by side with Active Duty counterparts in direct support of the Fleet. Making the most of proven and potential abilities. Leading a life of pride, purpose and heroism while serving a greater cause. That’s where Reservists fit in to the big picture.
Upholding the core values for which the Navy stands: Honor. Courage. Commitment. Proving that it’s truly one Navy, one mission.
Learn more about ways to join, or contact a Navy Reserve Recruiter for more information.
Components of the Reserve
Today’s Navy Reserve is a sum of the following components: Ready Reserve, Standby Reserve and Retired Reserve-Inactive.
Ready Reserve
The Ready Reserve is made up of two specific sections: the Selected Reserve forces and the Individual Ready Reserve (IRR).
- Selected Reserve — Consists of designated Reservists who are liable for recall to Active Duty status. Because of this, they act as the Navy’s primary source of immediate manpower. They receive many of the same benefits — and are required to perform many of the same duties — as their Active Duty counterparts. The Selected Reserve also includes persons performing initial Active Duty for training.
- Individual Ready Reserve — Consists of individuals who have had training or have previously served in an Active Duty component or in the Selected Reserve. They receive no pay or benefits and are not obligated to take part in any military activities. An individual assigned to the Individual Ready Reserve may receive pay or benefits for voluntarily performing specific types of Active Duty service.
Standby Reserve
The Standby Reserve is made up of Reservists who have transferred from the Ready Reserve after fulfilling certain requirements established by law. Most common Standby Reservists are those who have been deemed so by key civilian employees or those suffering through personal adversity or disability. While they are not required to perform training and are not part of any specific unit, they do create a pool of trained individuals who could be mobilized, if necessary, to fill manpower needs in specific skills.
Retired Reserve-Inactive
The Retired Reserve-Inactive is made up of Reservists who are drawing retired pay or are qualified for retired pay upon reaching age 60.
Learn more about ways to join, or contact a Navy Reserve Recruiter for more information.
Reasons to Consider Serving
Reservists reap a full array of benefits. For a complete list of Navy Reserve benefits, from pay scales to educational offers, from health care to retirement benefits, visit our benefits section. But also consider everything else that’s waiting: professional growth, personal pride, meaningful challenges and a greater cause.
The Navy Reserve offers rewarding opportunities in more than a dozen fields, depending on your qualifications and interests. To become an Enlisted member, you need at least a high school diploma. To become an Officer, you need a college degree.
Advance Your Professional Career
Navy Reservists benefit from the same training, access to equipment and advancement opportunities. Here, you’ll find unprecedented, real-world experience that civilian employers find highly valuable but rarely provide in the short-term. Here you can bolster your resumé. Help finance your education. Get state-of-the-art training. And get paid for it all.
Take Pride in the Company You Keep
Relationships created in the Navy Reserve are beyond what most people know. You share a common bond. And camaraderie that only exists among those who serve. If you have never served, you can experience this unique culture and the many benefits of military life without sacrificing your personal life. If you are currently serving or have already served, you can stay connected to everything you admire and may miss about the military.
Challenge Yourself in Exciting New Ways
If you want to take your skills to another level, be part of something bigger than yourself, and make an impact on the world, you can do it in the Navy Reserve — staying close to home, family and friends as you serve. The Navy Reserve makes it possible to lead a balanced life. You can apply all of the values, experiences and skills you’ll gain to your private life. The Navy Reserve is an ideal way to be who you want to be and who you need to be — at home and on duty.
Serve Your Country and Your Own Cause
Experience the satisfaction that comes from ensuring the safety of your family, friends, community and country. In uniform. In the Navy Reserve. Your service will be appreciated by those around you. And your future enhanced by the rewards you gain. The goals you reach. The people you meet. And the difference you make.
Learn more about ways to join, or contact a Navy Reserve Recruiter for more information.