Soldiers

The Army Reserve is a strong and ready force due to the dedication and sacrifice of its Soldiers.  Army Reserve Soldiers are both educated and experienced, often bringing valuable civilian-acquired skills to the Army Reserve. Examples include doctors, utility workers, teachers, mechanics and policemen. Army Reserve Soldiers are also experienced in the military—up to half the Soldiers who join each year have prior Active Duty experience in the Army, Navy, Air Force or Marines.

Enlisted and Officers

Army Soldiers are divided into two broad groups: Enlisted and Officers. Most Soldiers begin their career in the Army Reserve as Enlisted Soldiers with the rank of private or specialist. Enlisted Soldiers with additional experience and training assume leadership responsibilities in their units and are recognized as Noncommissioned Officers (NCO). NCO ranks are corporal and sergeant.  Approximately 80% of Army Reserve Soldiers are Enlisted, and about half of those are NCOs.

Officers are Soldiers who have completed special leadership training. Warrant Officers hold warrants from their service secretary and are experts in certain military technologies or capabilities. The commissioned ranks are the highest in the military. These Officers hold presidential commissions and are confirmed at their ranks by the Senate. Commissioned officer ranks are Lieutenant, Captain, Major, Lieutenant Colonel, Colonel and General Officer.  Approximately 20% of Army Reserve Soldiers are Officers.

Diversity

Army Soldiers are Army Reserve Soldiers come from all walks of life and are a direct reflection of the diversity that makes this country great. The Army Reserve is the most diverse component of the Army, with more women and minorities than Active Duty or the Army National Guard.  Women are eligible for the vast majority of the jobs in the Army Reserve, and almost one quarter of Army Reserve Soldiers are women.  Almost 40% of Army Reserve Soldiers are minorities, the highest of any branch of the U.S. military.

Education

Soldiers in the Army Reserve are well educated, often taking advantage of Army bonuses and scholarships to get college degrees.  A four-year college degree is mandatory for all Commissioned Officers above the rank of Lieutenant, and many Officers have graduate degrees.  Approximately 15% of the Enlisted Soldiers in the Army Reserve have a Bachelors degree, and 2% have Masters or PhD degrees.

Age

Qualified individuals between the ages of 17 and 40 can join the Army Reserve and serve until their mandatory removal date.  The average age of Officers in the Army Reserve is approximately 42, and the average age of Enlisted Soldiers is 31.

 
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A Dedicated and Diverse Workforce

The Army Reserve is an organization of people working hard to serve the Army and the nation. Army Reserve Soldiers are the most diverse group in the Army and come from a wide variety of communities and backgrounds.

Army Reserve Soldiers serve in many different ways, in Troop Program Units, in the Individual Ready Reserve or as part of the Active Guard Reserve. The Army Reserve family also includes thousands of dedicated civilian employees who provide continuity and expertise to the organization.

Soldiers

Army Reserve Soldiers combine civilian experience with military training to provide specialized skills for military missions around the world. Get general information about Army Reserve Soldiers, as well as some key statistics.

Force Composition

Three different groups make up today’s Army Reserve: the Selected Reserve, the Individual Ready Reserve (IRR) and the Retired Reserve. Learn more about these groups, including the important role each plays in today’s Army.

Civilian Workforce

The Army Reserve includes civilians working in communities across the country and around the world to provide organization, administration, training and maintenance support for Army Reserve Soldiers. Learn more about how these civilians help ensure the highest possible level of Soldier and unit readiness.

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Civilian Workforce

The Army Reserve includes civilians working in communities across the country and around the world. Civilians play an important role in the Army Reserve, providing continuity and expertise at every level of the organization.

Army Reserve civilians (along with Military Technicians, who work as civilian employees and also train as Army Reserve Soldiers - Duel Status) provide administrative support, facility management, policy analysis and program management. Civilians also ensure that the Army Reserve continues to function administratively when its Soldiers are deployed on missions across the globe.

Currently, as of 11 June 2009, there 11,712 civilians in the Army Reserve:

3,868 Department of the Army Civilians (DAC)

7,844 Military Technicians

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