Army Reserve

The United States Army Reserve (USAR) is the Army's Federal Reserve force, providing operational capability and strategic depth to the Total Army in support of the National Defense Strategy and Joint Force commitments worldwide. Comprised of more than 200,000 Soldiers and Civilians, the Army Reserve accounts for 20 percent of the Army's organized united, provides nearly half the Army's total maneuver support, and significant Army mobilization and expansion capability. Manned, trained and equipped to enable operational forces, the Army Reserve provides quick access to trained and ready Soldiers, leaders and cohesive units and critical enabling capabilities found nowhere else in the Army or the Joint Forces.

Globally engaged for more than 15 consecutive years of war, the Army Reserve has been, and continues to be, an essential element of the Total Army and the Joint Force, meeting high operational tempo demands, providing predictable operating and generating forces to Combatant Commands as required. Since 2001, Army Reserve Soldiers have been mobilized more than 335,000 times and deployed across the globe, to include every major combat zone.

Meeting ongoing defense and security demands requires continued access to, and reliance upon, the skills, capabilities, and experience of a ready Army Reserve. A federal operational Army Reserve force saves the Army money; reduces the demand for Active Army capabilities; mitigates Army capability shortfalls, and preserves the readiness of the Total Army.

The Army Reserve is structured to manage specialized capabilities, including those not present anywhere else in the Joint Force, such as: