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The United States Navy Reserve, until 2005 known as the United States Naval Reserve, is the reserve component of the United States Navy.

Reservists are called into active duty, or mobilized, as needed and are required to sign paperwork acknowledging this possibility upon enlistment. Since the terror attacks of 9/11, Reservists have been mobilized in large numbers. The Global War On Terror has even seen the activation of a USNR squadron, VFA-201, an F/A-18 Hornet squadron which deployed onboard USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN-71).

The Navy Reserve consists of approximately 80,000 officers and enlisted personnel who serve in every State, every territory and overseas.

Contents 1 History 2 Entry and service 3 Differences between regular Navy and Navy Reserve benefits 4 Acronyms 5 References 6 External links

The current concept of the United States Navy Reserve did not originate as a Federal force. In fact, today's Navy Reserve is an off-shoot of the National Guard. It originated from the National Guard concept of a volunteer Militia, formed into companies, and created by citizen-soldiers of the States, who had an affinity for the sea. The concept of a volunteer Militia unit was confirmed in the Uniform Militia Act of 1792, to be formed of volunteers from the Militia at large and to be uniformed and equipped at the individual volunteer's expense. At this time, it was a corps of "citizen" soldiers who enjoyed military exercise and who were willing to sacrifice both the time and the money necessary to enjoy it.

The need for a Naval Reserve was first recognized by Naval leaders prior to the War of 1812. A Bill providing for such a Reserve organization was introduced in Congress during Jefferson's period in office but it failed to pass. During the War of 1812, there were many more men ready to go to sea then there were ships to put them on. Thus the ships of the small U.S. Navy of 1812 competed only with the American privateers in recruiting seasoned seagoing personnel.

Beginning in the 1870s, two events set the stage for the formation of the Naval Militia. The first was the Federal government's latest act to increase the efficiency of the National Guard with the passage of Secretary of War William C. Endicott's act of February 12, 1887. This act doubled the annual appropriations to the National Guard. This act inspired many younger officers to call for a more modern navy. This movement saw the creation of the Naval War College and the formation of the Naval Institute in 1873, which further promoted the "advancement of professional and scientific knowledge in the Navy."

By November 1918, the end of World War I, approximately 20,000 officers and 280,000 enlisted members would be designated as Reservists serving alongside 230,000 active-duty Regular Navy personnel at sea and ashore. What was to follow with the passage of the Naval Act of 1920, which in effect superseded the Naval Militias by the formation of the Naval and Marine Corps Reserves. The entire structure was completely reorganized in the Naval Reserve Act of 1938.

On January 28th, 1968, several Naval Air Reserve squadrons were activated by President Lyndon B. Johnson after the seizure of the intelligence ship U.S.S. Pueblo in North Korean waters. These units were the only Navy Reservists activated during the Vietnamese War period. One of these squadrons, brought on active duty from the U.S. Naval Air Station New York, located in New York City at Floyd Bennett Field, VA-831 was attached to Carrier Wing One and the aircraft carrier U.S.S. John F. Kennedy.

After 11 September 2001, Navy Reservists were called up in large numbers. Many did not know for how long they were going to be called up for, but typically they were demobilized after one year or earlier. Many reservists volunteered for an additional year.

On 29 April 2005, in accordance with Section 517 of the Ronald W. Reagan National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2005 [1] (Public Law 108-375), President George W. Bush approved the renaming of the United States Naval Reserve as the United States Navy Reserve[2].

Prior service enlistees may be able to affiliate with the Navy Reserve in their active duty rating (job specialty) and paygrade.

Non-prior service enlistees go through boot camp located at Naval Station Great Lakes in Illinois (same location as Active Duty training) and qualify for a specific billet (job) in order to make their rate permanent. Very few ratings are available to non-prior service personnel. Based upon their skill sets, members will enter into service at paygrades E3 through E5. Although non-prior service recruits are paid from their first day at the advanced pay grade, they are not entitled to wear the insignia signifying their rank until they successfully complete boot camp. After graduating from boot camp, the reservist usually trains at a Navy Operational Support Center again to complete the final "Phase IV" requirements. After that, he or she is sent to a unit.

For those in aviation specialties, drilling will take place at Naval Air Reserve facilities, often close to their home or school. Aviation specialties are unavailable to non-prior service enlistees.

Typically, the Reservist is required to drill one weekend every month and spend a consecutive two-week period every year at a regular Navy base or on board a ship. While training either for just a weekend or during the two weeks, the reservist is on active duty and the full spectrum of rules and regulations, including the Uniform Code of Military Justice, apply.

• Regular navy enlisted personnel generally sign-on for an eight year contract that includes four years on active duty (ACDU) in the regular navy and the remainder in the Navy Reserve (typically with only 1-day of required duty per year). Reservist enlistees are usually required to have an eight-year contract, with six years in the selective reserve (drilling), and two years without a drilling requirement, unless they have prior military service which then allows for two, four or six year contracts.
• Active duty personnel are expected to buy their own uniform replacements (uniform allowances, however, are provided for). Reservists not on active duty (ACDU) have uniform replacements free of charge available at certain intervals, based on the expected wear of the item.
• If Active duty personnel want to get college tuition, part of their pay is taken and matched. Depending on if the individual paid an extra "kicker" the monthly pay varies. Typically pay is around $1000 a month for a full time student. Reservists receive their full pay plus tuition at a far lesser rate. Currently the reserve GI Bill pay is approximately $300 a month for a full time student.
• Active duty retirees (at least the last 8 years of at least 20 years of service must be active duty) receive retired pay immediately upon retirement. Retirees from the reserves must wait until their 60th birthday.
• Active duty personnel (regular navy and reservists on active duty) receive full medical and dental care for themselves and their dependents. Only selected Reservists are eligible for similar coverage and must pay a premium.
• Active duty personnel receive 30 days of paid leave each year. (Unlike civilian vacation days, every day during leave is chargeable. So, this amounts to about 4 weeks vacation time.) Drilling reservists receive no paid leave.

The following acronyms were in use during World War II:

• USNR -- U.S. Naval Reserve
• USNRF -- U.S. Naval Reserve Forces
• USNR O -- U.S. Organized Naval Reserve
• USNR O1 -- U.S. Organized Naval Reserve Seagoing
• USNR O2 -- U.S. Organized Naval Reserve Aviation
• USNR SV -- U.S. Naval Reserve, Selective Volunteer
• USNR V -- U.S. Volunteer Naval Reserve

In the post-Korean War conflict era, the following acronym was used for Naval Air Reserve Units which were not mobilized on active duty:

• USNR R -- U.S. Naval Reserve-Ready

Presently, the following acronym is used for Naval Air Reserve Units:

• NAVAIRES - U.S. Naval Air Reserve

• OPNAV 29-P1000

• Navy Reserve Recruiting
• Navy Reserve Official Site
• Change of Name Proclamation
• Administrative Procedures for Navy Reservists on Inactive Duty.