ARMY RESERVE. The regular army reserve, established in 1916, in the United States consists of men not over 45 years of age, physically qualified, who enlist for four years. The President is authorized to assign members of the army reserve as reserves to particular organizations of the army, or to organize the reserve, or any part thereof, into units or detachments as he may prescribe, and to assign to such units and detachments officers of the regular army or of the officers' reserve corps; and he may summon the regular army reserve or any part thereof for field training for not exceeding 15 days in each year, reserv ists to receive travel expenses and pay at rate of their grades; and in event of actual or threatened hostilities he may mobilize the re serve, and thereafter retain it, or any part thereof, in active service for such period as he may determine conditions demand. All enlist ments in the regular army, including those in the reserve, in force on date of outbreak of war, continue in force for one year, unless sooner terminated by order of the Secretary of War. Subject to such regulations as the Presi dent may prescribe for proper identification, location and physical condition, members of the army reserve shall be paid semi-annually at the rate of $24 a year while in the reserve.
When mobilized the reserve, while in active service, receives pay and allowances of enlisted men of like grades, including additional pay provided for second enlistments. Upon report ing for duty, and being found physically fit, members of the reserve receive $3 per month for each month they shall have belonged to the reserve, as well as actual necessary cost of transportation and subsistence from their homes to places where they are summoned to report for duty. Service in the reserve confers no rights to retirement or retired pay. Title to pension is attained only through disability in curred on active duty.
The law contemplates that the President may cause reservists to be organized at all times in the manner indicated and that, in the discretion of the President, they may be attached, as such, to organizations of the regular army that are at maximum strength, but when so attached, they are not constituent parts of such organizations and form no part of the numbers authorized by law for such organizations.