Is it true that it's near impossible to go Active Duty from reserves?

Question

I am planning on joining the Air Force Reserves right now. But, I want to go Active Duty after I get my 4 year degree (no, I don't care if I go in as an officer or not). Is it true that it's near impossible to go from Reserves to Active Duty right now? Will it still be that way after 3 and a half years? (already have 21 hours of college).

Answer 1

As far as I know you can transfer at any time. But you forfiet any rank earned during Reserve status. My husband went from National Guard to Active Duty in 1990. He had been in the NG for 4 years and had reached the grade of E-4. When he came in, he had to go in at his last active duty rank, which was when he was in technical training, E-2. But Army gives rank faster than AF, so he made E-3 in only a couple of months and had his E-4 back in 9 months. A lot of soldiers stayed on Active Duty that were activated from NG and Reserve status, and since they were technically on Active Duty, they got to keep their current rank even though it was earned on Reserve/NG time. So if you volunteer for an individual augmentee activation with the Reserves and then right before that tour ends ask to transfer to Active Duty staus full time, you could keep your rank.
But before you do all of this, double check what would happen to any enlistment incentives that the reserves offer you to see if you would lose anything if you transfer to Active Duty before the end of your contract with them. My husband's National Guard contract was 8 years. He went active after only 4 years. We had to forfeit the remainder of the payments on his $2000 enlistment bonus. But NG is state whereas Reserves are Federal, so I don't know if there are different rules when you switch between those two.

Answer 2

When I was much younger than I am not (don't ask), I was in the Marine Corps Reserves. When I decided I wanted to regular, I went down to our federal building. I wanted to go regular and stay in the Reserves. They gave me that option and I became a regular Marine. But I don't know what the procedure is now.

Answer 3

Absolutely not, you would just need to put in a package requesting augmentation to the active force. It may be easier to get a commission if your get into ROTC while in college. There is one issue right now for the air force that they are actually reducing their active duty numbers, but in three years that should be completed.

Answer 4

Heck no! I was in the Reserves and the Army called me up for DESERT STORM. Easy as pie!

Answer 5

it is easy to go active... once your initial enlistment is up you can choose to either stay where you are (re-enlist), go active, or go inactive reserves

Answer 6

i know that the army makes that NO problem for you to do but thats all i can say bout that