While researching pilot opportunities in the Air Force, you may have come across these three different components and wondered what they are and how they are different. As a pilot candidate, you should know and understand what each military component means and how it will influence your aviation career. The reserves are often lumped into one category and refer to the part-time military members who serve to supplement the active-duty. The active-duty is the full-time force in charge of executing the mission of the Department of Defense. All three provide flying opportunities in the Air Force, so take the time to understand what each component has to offer before taking the next step in your military aviation career. According to the Congressional Research Service (2020), “the term reserves is often used as a generic term to refer to all members of the seven individual reserv...