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I was reading a magazine article and it mentioned "Regular Army", "Army of the US" and how certain Division numbers were reserved for "Regular Army" and others were for "Army of the US".    BTW, this article was about WW II units.  FWIW it also mentioned National Guard, but it was the RA and AUS the got me wondering.

 

My questions are:

What is the difference between "Regular Army" and "Army of the US"?

What determines if a soldier is "Regular Army" or "Army of the US"?

WHY is there a difference between the two?  Why not just "The Army"?

What if a soldier is transferred from an "Army of the US" unit to a "Regular Army" unit, or vice versa?

Do "Regular Army" soldiers get some sort of benefit not given to the Army of the US soldiers.

 

I recall watching movies where one soldier refers to another as "Regular Army" but it always seemed like it was used as a derogatory. like calling him a career soldier or stickler for doing things "The Army way".

 

Angus

 

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There’s a difference in unit designations and individual soldiers enlistment status. Also in the years between ww1 and 2 there was a designation of Army of the US which was made up of different units. It gets confusing.

So to try and make some sense of it basically, back when the draft was in place, volunteer enlisted men were designated RA of regular army and draftees were US which essentially was the Reserves. If a draftee served and re-enlisted he would then be designated RA. Initially, RA soldiers served 3 years while US draftees served 2. 
 

As far as units go it made no difference if a US man was in a Regular Army unit

some units are designated regular active army and some Reserve. After WW2 many divisions were disbanded and many were redesignated as Reserves.

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Army of the US was draftees and retired soldiers that might be recalled. Usually only called up for war.

 

Regular Army was volunteer soldiers not affiliated with reserves or NG. They picked a career in the standing army.

 

once upon a time you could have Regular army rank and reserve rank. For instance if I was a Regular LT2 and put in charge of a reserve component I could be breveted to a Reserve Captain. 

But upon return to my Regular duties I resumed being an Lt.

 

Army of the US was deactivated when we went full volunteer.

 

 

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In 1917, the Army of the US was made up of reserve, national guard, and regular units due to the standing army being so small. Then on the late 29s I believe the dropped the Army of the US which was also called the National Army. I have some officer collar brass with NA superimposed over US somewhere.

Now, do not ask about the numerical designation of units  that the army uses because there is no sense to it…, Other that the 1st Infantry Division possibly.

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1 hour ago, Utah Bob #35998 said:

There’s a difference in unit designations and individual soldiers enlistment status. Also in the years between ww1 and 2 there was a designation of Army of the US which was made up of different units. It gets confusing.   Aaayup!  It sure do.

 

So to try and make some sense of it basically, back when the draft was in place, volunteer enlisted men were designated RA of regular army and draftees were US which essentially was the Reserves. If a draftee served and re-enlisted he would then be designated RA. Initially, RA soldiers served 3 years while US draftees served 2.   OK, I think that makes sense to me.
 

As far as units go it made no difference if a US man was in a Regular Army unit

some units are designated regular active army and some Reserve. After WW2 many divisions were disbanded and many were redesignated as Reserves.

 

Thanks.  But I'm still wondering - Why is/was there a need to differentiate the two?

 

 

 

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2 hours ago, Black Angus McPherson said:

 

Thanks.  But I'm still wondering - Why is/was there a need to differentiate the two?

 

 

 

Regular army is professional soldiers. That's what they do.

 

Army of the US were people playing soldier for a year or so before they went back to their real job as soda jerk or gas pump jockey or CEO of a multinational corporation.

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In was commissioned as a Reserve Army 2d Lieutenant in June of 1965.  I went into active duty right along with Regular Army officers with the same pay, privileges, and authority as they had, was promoted ahead of many of them, after one or two.  I ended up a Company Commander (Captain) and had  a First Lieutenant who was promoted to First Lieutenant a week before I had been (making him senior to me at that time) assigned later as my XO (making me his senior....at that time) simply because I was promoted to Captain ahead of him.  Neither of us asked why and when I went to 'Nam he was made CO in my place.  By that time he had been a captain four months, I had been for ten months.  

 

Everything was the same, even the uniforms were identical with no markings differentiating anything, until my four years mandatory service was up.  Then I had two more years in the inactive reserve.  I could apply for extensions and they had  to be approved or I became a civilian.  At one time I could have applied for a "transfer" to be a Regular Army officer.  

 

An officer on inactive reserve status could get recalled to active duty with very short notice...about ten days, IIRC...for a tour of at least one year and for as long as the Army needed him or her

 

Regulars just continued ahead until they finished their mandatory six year obligation, then if they didn't do anything else they would continue on until they made twenty years and took an option to retire...or they could go on for another ten and take a full retirement.

 

Also after the first six years they could resign and get out with no retirement benefits just like us reservists.

 

Or they could get discharged in a number of ways.

 

The only difference that I ever noticed was my serial number started with 05 xxx xxx and the regulars numbers started with RA xxx xxx. unless you came across a snotty Westpointer who thought he was better than us commoners.  I saw some of them painfully divested of that notion by both RA and 05 officers.

 

I've been out of the Army since 1969 and I have no doubt things have changed in that time.

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3 hours ago, Black Angus McPherson said:

 

Thanks.  But I'm still wondering - Why is/was there a need to differentiate the two?

 

 

 

A number of reasons. Training, assignments, transfers, etc. 

1 hour ago, Alpo said:

Regular army is professional soldiers. That's what they do.

 

Army of the US were people playing soldier for a year or so before they went back to their real job as soda jerk or gas pump jockey or CEO of a multinational corporation.

I can’t agree with that assessment.

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18 minutes ago, Muley Gil SASS # 57795 said:

Aways trust Wiki stuff with a grain of salt. They tend to be less than 100% accurate sometimes. I have read their Army articles. They seem to be generally pretty good. If somewhat incomplete. 

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We all swore an oath to protect our country against all enemies foreign or domestic with our lives. We were all in harm's way. The only difference was RA voluntarily joined and US were drafted. (I was drafted) and, yes, I got an early out...... 1 day shy of 2 years.

 

WR

 

Alpo, your comment was inappropriate 

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4 hours ago, Utah Bob #35998 said:

 

A number of reasons. Training, assignments, transfers, etc. 

I can’t agree with that assessment.

Can't agree with that, either, Bob.  I was trained far beyond a lot of RA guys, three years high school ROTC, five more at Utah State University (Known at that time s the West Point of the West) and right alongside a whole mess of guys who were commissioned RA the same time and place I was.  I don't know and don't care, but I'd bet the rent you were RA.  You just look and sound the part.

 

I knew a lot of reserve types who weren't worth the powder and lead to blow them to hell, but I knew about an equal percentage of Regulars who weren't any better.

 

I also knew a whole lot of exceptional officers of both types who stood up and made us proud of them equally.

 

It's the men, not the designation, who make the best officers, and I can say the same thing about the enlisted ranks, too.

 

I will never admit to being less of an officer than any other, and I'll damn sure never apologize nor show any shame about having been a reservist.

 

You, know, I knew some National Guardsmen who got called up, too, and they fit the same spots I mentioned above.

 

And while I'm ranting, I object to Conscientious Objectors being painted with a broad brush as cowards and worthless.  I knew a couple who fit that mold, but I knew two Chaplain's Assistants and some Medics who went way beyond what was expected.  They would not carry a weapon, but I saw one face Charlie down and one who pulled three wounded men from under fire.  He should have received a medal, but his CO was a HA who was not about to put a CO in for any decoration.

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4 hours ago, Grumpy Old Man said:

In 1971, I beat the draft. I enlisted for 2 years. Only gaurantee I had was date of entry. Was I drafted, I only had a few days to get ready. I was also asked several times to go to OCS. I said HELL NO.

How did you enlist for 2 years? Draftee served 2 Enlistees 3. 

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