I'm gonna try to break it down for you, I really am. Its so hard to compare the two, some think that they shouldn't be compared; while others think the opposite. As a reservist wife I can only say so much since we've never been full time active duty except when he activated.
Reserves/Guard
Call to duty; they have 2 months to become prepared for deployment. Two whole months to be combat ready. Two possibly three months, just three. Our transition to civilian and military is stressful. Once they get the call to duty, its full time military life. There is not much of a transition. They pay might be significantly different for either one, stresses in the relationships, children etc. Changes can be stressful. By law their civilian job has to give them leave and return them to the same position when they come home.
Support is something we don't get much of. Yes, we all have our families but they dont understand, friends don't quite understand. We all know how it goes, they try to understand but its never the same. Compared to another wife, another mother of a soldier and possibly a girlfriend etc. We dont live on base, sometimes we live far from a base that offers that support.
Homecomings. After a year of our men being in a combat zone, they come home to civilian life. No base, not a lot of help within reach. Leave is shorter sometimes for 'us', they much return back to their jobs with I think, don't quote me 60days? I could be wrong.
Active duty
Preparing for combat every day 365 7 days a week. As my husband says it getting yelled at everyday. Support is everywhere. The right people whom understand you. On base for childcare, FRG, etc. Basically almost the opposite of Reserves/Guard.
I'm not trying to start a debate cause thats not in my nature. But its both different. Our stresses are different. Deployment is the same regardless of branch it all hurts, all stressful, marriages sometimes don't make it. I just wish Reserves got more credit than they do.
That is all. Thanks for reading :)
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