Army reserve and active duty committment

It varies. What's your experience and specialty?

All initial contracts for the military are for 8 years, no matter which service or status, active or reserves. Most active duty contracts have a 3 year active duty commitment followed by 5 years of reserve time. Which can either be a served as Selective or Inactive Reservist. If your initial contract is for the reserves the often the contract has you serving the 1st 4 years has you in the Selective Reserves then you can go IRR anytime after that point. Selective Reserves is the 1 weekend a month 2 weeks a year, Inactive Reserves (IRR) is you are still available for recall to active duty if the military needs you. The IRR usally has 1 muster a year to make sure that they can get ahold of you and that you are alive. Officers who do not resign their commissions after the 8 year commitment are still a reservist and eligible for recall.

My initial contract was four years of active duty, but that was my choice -- I could have done three years instead.