What’s the Difference Between Joining As A Regular Or A Reserve? – Myth Busting: Army Edition

When you think about joining the Army, you might imagine it’s all or nothing – full time, boots-on-the-ground, and no room for anything else. But that’s not the whole picture, there are also part time opportunities in the Army Reserve.  

In this blog, we’re busting the myth that there’s only one way to serve. Let’s dive into the difference between joining as a Regular or a Reserve – by showing how both paths can fit your life.

Regular vs Reserve: What Does It Mean? 

Let’s start with the basics. 

• Regular Soldiers serve full time. It’s their main job, and often their lifestyle. 

• Reservists serve part time. They train and work around their civilian job, studies, or family life while getting paid. 

As one Reservist explains in the video: 

“There isn’t a difference, except the fact that you are a part time role as a Reservist.” 

Both roles are vital. Both get the same core skills. The difference is how you fit it into your life.

Life as a Regular Soldier 

Joining as a Regular means the Army becomes your full time career. You’ll live it day-to-day, train regularly, and become part of a close-knit team. For many, it’s more than a job – it’s a lifestyle. 

“If I’m a Regular, then that’s my thing. It’s my full time job, it’s my hobbies, it’s my friends, it’s my family.” 

Regular soldiers often live on base, travel for training and operations, and build strong bonds with their unit. It’s a great fit if you’re looking for adventure, structure, and a career with purpose.

Life as a Reservist 

Reservists train and serve part time. You’ll still get top-level training and be part of the Army team – but you’ll do it around your other commitments. 

“I have a civvy job, but I also have a military job.” 

Reservists train evenings, weekends, and during annual leave. You’ll be supported to balance both worlds – and the Army is more flexible than you might think. 

“The training is exactly the same, but you just do it on a part time basis, and you fit that around your employer, your family life.” 

Flexibility and Support 

The Army understands that life is busy. Whether you’re coming back from maternity or paternity leave, working from home, or juggling family life – there’s room to make it work. 

“A lot of people I know work from home on certain days… they can flex hours and things like that.” 

This flexibility helps people from all backgrounds stay in the Army and thrive. 

“Not everyone has to line up at 07:00 in the morning. That’s good. It keeps all sorts of diverse people in the role.” 

Same Standards, Shared Purpose 

Whether you’re a Regular or a Reserve, you’ll be trained to the same high standards. You’ll learn the same skills, wear the same uniform, and be part of the same mission. 

“The training that we get… is really, really good at keeping our skillsets at where they need to be.” 

You’ll be ready to step up when needed – without standing out like a sore thumb.

Our Myth Busting Series 

Keep an eye out for the next video of the series, where we dive further into life in the Army Reserve – ‘Will I Get Paid To Be A Reservist?’. You can watch our latest blog ‘Anything You Wish You’d Known Before Applying/Joining’ to understand more about the process and help take that next step, or follow us on our YouTube channel for more videos.