Happy Birthday Air Force Reserve

The Air Force Reserve was established on April 14, 1948. The thought of the reserve goes back much further  to the National Defense Act of 1916. The group of Air Force Reserve Corps were very valuable in winning WWI. The joint Department of the Army and Department of Air Force established the U.S. Air Force Reserve and the U.S. Air Force Honorary Reserve.

After World War II the Air Force Reserve started to fade away. It was in hopes that the reserve could be formed into an effective and efficient organization of Airmen in Reserve. Before this could be done the reservist were called back to service. Numbered at 146,000 the reservist would become active in military service and serve between one and three years. The Korean war would see the reservist helped out but after the conflict was found to be in disarray and needed rebuilding.

The era during the 1960's would see the Air Force Reserve airmen active in numerous mobilizations due to the Cold War. Operations from the Berlin Crisis 1961-62, Cuban Missile Crisis of 1962, and the Southeast mobilizations in 1968.

The 1970s saw the Department of Defense adopt total force policy. This had the Air Force Reserve program having to meet the same readiness standards as their active duty counterparts. The 1980s saw the Reserve become more modern and expanding. Military operations in Grenada, Libya and Panama were just a few activities the reserve was involved in

The 1990s saw the Air Force Reserve going through change again. The Persian Gulf War was a time that saw the reserve teaming up with the Air Force and working together. More than 15,000 Air Force Reservists were present and quickly performed duty in support of Operation Desert Shield and Desert Storm. By the end of the activities 23,500 Reservists had played a role in service. Between combat in Persian Gulf, providing vital support services at overseas locations as well as serving at home stations or helping deployed active duty members.

In February 1997 the Air Force Reserve officially became the Air Force Reserve Command, the Air Force's ninth major command. The reservist still serve to help in places such as war on Terrorism. So in the past 68th years the air force reserve has came along way. From loosely organized group of weekend fliers to an integrated, flexible and combat ready force that provides accessible sustainable capabilities as an Air Force component supporting U.S. national security.

Interested in joining the Air Force Reserve?? Check out these requirements to join::

• must be 17 years old to enter with parents consent or 18 without parent consent
• must be in good physical condition and at a certain weight
• able to pass a standard physical
• good education, high school diploma is best 
• U.S. citizen or green card is needed