Soldiers and Airmen in such status are commonly referred to as AGRs. Although they continue to be members of the Reserve Components, they are in a different federal status than traditional part-time Army Reserve Component or Air Reserve Component members (including full-time Army Reserve Technician and Air Reserve Technician Program members) called to active duty for training, special work, operational support to the Active Component, or mobilized for contingency operations.
"The Active Guard and Reserve (AGR) program was officially established in 1980. The National Guard Pamphlet 600-1 provides the history and regulatory authority of the AGR program. The Active/Guard Reserve (AGR) Program was officially born in 1980 when the Office of the Secretary of Defense submitted reports to Congress validating its existence. In June 1980, the House Appropriations Committee approved the expansion of the Program, with the requirement that the reserves determine the appropriate mix of Full-Time Military (AGR) and Military Technicians." [National Guard Pamphlet 600-1, page 3, under the heading: Forward]. AGR enlisted members of the National Guard activated under Title 10/32 in 1980 were at least paygrade E4 for enlisted members and O2 for Officers. Most of the AGRs enlisted in 1980 under Title 10 were ordered to active duty for a one-year probation period, which could be extended to four additional years at any point during the probation period or upon its conclusion. Enlisted members were required to have at least one year remaining on their current enlisted contract period. While the majority of these Army National Guard AGRs were placed on active duty under Title 32, many of the Air National Guardsmen in 1980 and 1981 were activated under Title 10 or Title 32 with the caveat of "Not Under State Control". These Title 10 or Title 32 individuals, designated as "Not Under State Control," were activated not only to support the National Guard full-time but to support active forces as needed. Before 11 September 2001, General Officers could not be activated for the AGR program; however, future hostile events against the United States would eventually and inevitably expand this program far beyond its original design.
Since September 11, 2001, substantial numbers of AGRs have been placed on active duty for direct support of the Active Component (also known as the Regular Component) of the armed forces to fill critical shortfall requirements for which no qualified Active Component fill is available. Mission requirements expanded the ranks that can be activated under the AGR program to include general officers and field grade officers and company grade officers having both a Federal recognized commission as well as a State commission. Typically ranks O2-O6, First Lieutenant to Colonel, with only a few authorized as the O8/Major General level. All Army National Guard Warrant Officers (WO1 through CW5) are eligible for activation under Title 10/32. As for the enlisted ranks, all senior non-commissioned officers, down through junior enlisted ranks, typically pay grades E4-E9, from Corporal/Senior Airman to Command Sergeant Major/Chief Master Sergeant, are authorized to be activated under Title 10/32. Typically, General officers are assigned to the Joint Staff, the Army Staff, the Air Staff, or the combatant commands.
The authorization for which ranks may be assigned to AGR (Active Guard/Reserve) positions is governed primarily by AR 135-18, “The Active Guard Reserve (AGR) Program”, which includes tables specifying grade and specialty requirements for AGR duty positions. Additionally, limits on how many personnel of certain ranks may serve on full-time reserve/National Guard duty (including AGR) are set by statute under Title 10, U.S. Code—specifically 10 U.S.C. § 12011 (officers) and § 12012 (senior enlisted) for reserve components.
Key Authorizing Sources
Army Regulation 135-18 — “The Active Guard Reserve (AGR) Program” This regulation sets out eligibility, rank/grade, specialty, and continuance rules, including Table 2-1 (Qualifications for entry) and Table 2-4 (Qualifications for subsequent duty), as well as disqualification tables (Tables 2-2, 2-3, 2-5, 2-6).
[Table 2-1, Rule F addresses “grade and specialty requirements” for the AGR duty position.</ref>
[Table 2-4 governs qualifications (including grade & MOS) for continuation in AGR status.</ref>
[The regulation also states that an applicant’s grade must not exceed what is authorized for that AGR position.</ref>
[Title 10, United States Code — §§ 12011 & 12012 These statutory provisions impose grade-control ceilings (i.e. limits) for AGR (and other full-time reserve component) assignments in certain grades:</ref>
[10 U.S.C. § 12011 constrains how many reserve officers (in certain officer grades: e.g. major, lieutenant colonel, colonel) may serve on active duty or full-time National Guard duty in a reserve component.</ref>
[10 U.S.C. § 12012 does likewise for senior enlisted grades (E-8, E-9) on full-time reserve component duty.</ref>
DoD Instruction 1205.18 — “Full-Time Support to the Reserve Components” This instruction governs full-time support (FTS) programs, including AGR, and states that AGR personnel “will be counted … against congressional authorizations for the grades of E-8, E-9, O-4, O-5, and O-6 in accordance with Sections 12011 and 12012 of Title 10, U.S.C.” WHS Environmental Services Division
ANGI 36-101 (for the Air National Guard) For the ANG component, this regulation states that AGR end strength and grade (for the ANG) is controlled by those same statutes (10 U.S.C. §§ 12011 & 12012) for specified grades. E-Publishing
Starting in October 2022, many AGR positions across the Air Force Reserve Command (AGR) were converted into a full-time career track positions once the servicemember achieved six years of service as an AGR.[3]
Navy Reserve, Marine Corps Reserve, and Coast Guard Reserve counterparts
The sea services (i.e., United States Navy, United States Marine Corps, and United States Coast Guard) do not have an AGR program per se, but do have cadres of full-time active duty personnel in support of the respective Reserve Components and/or integrated with the Active Component.
U.S. Navy ReserveTraining and Administration of the Reserve (TAR) officers and sailors (formerly known as Full-Time Support (FTS) personnel from 2005 to 2021), U.S. Marine CorpsActive Reserve (AR), and U.S. Coast GuardReserve Program Administrators (RPAs) are technically included in the definition of AGR. But whereas Army and Air Force Reserve Component personnel can enter the AGR program at any point in their careers, entry into the sea service programs is typically limited to E-5 and below for enlisted personnel, W-2 for warrant officers, and O-3 or O-4, the latter with less than three years' time in grade (TIG) as an O-4, for commissioned officers.[4]
Approximately 95% of Navy TAR, Marine Corps AR and Coast Guard RPA officers and enlisted personnel enter these programs directly from the Active Component. Unlike the Army and Air Force AGR programs, the TAR, AR and RPA career tracks are considered permanent active duty career programs, with no opportunity for senior enlisted or senior officers to enter later in their careers from "traditional" part-time Reserve status at the E-7/E-8/E-9, O-5/O-6, or General Officer/Flag Officer levels.
Senior officers in the TAR, AR and RPA programs are also subject to continuation boards at the O-5 and O-6 level and may be subject to an earlier mandated retirement date than their Regular Navy, Regular Marine Corps or Regular Coast Guard counterparts of the same pay grade in the Active Component or their "traditional" Navy Selected Reserve (SELRES), Selected Marine Corps Reserve (SMCR) or Coast Guard Selected Reserve (SELRES) counterparts in the Reserve Component, including the latter when recalled back to active duty.
Since September 11, 2001, substantial numbers of "traditional" part-time Reserve officers of the Navy, Marine Corps and Coast Guard above the rank of O-3 and senior enlisted at E-6 and above have been recalled to active duty for successive back-to-back or near back-to-back active duty periods under mobilization, special work or operational support orders, filling shortfalls for two, three, four, or more years for which no qualified Active Component or TAR officer or senior enlisted is available. In addition, certain Reserve Component personnel with specific talents and/or experience have also been recalled to active duty as "by name" requests by Active Component senior leadership (typically at the flag officer / general officer level). Concurrently, numerous Reserve Component flag officers and general officers have also been recalled to active duty by Active Component senior leadership, both uniformed and civilian. However, career tenure (other than for Reserve retirement) and an active duty retirement, while occasionally achieved by these personnel, are not guaranteed.
Navy Reserve Canvasser/Recruiters are also included in the AGR definition but may be accessed at the E-7/8/9, W-2/3/4/5, and O-3/4/5 pay grades. Unlike the Navy's TAR program, Navy Reserve Canvasser/Recruiter is not considered a career program, so career tenure protections and an active duty retirement are not guaranteed.
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