In order to do this effectively during battle, the military reserve is literally held back in a defensive position, just in case the enemy forces break through the front line. If the enemy makes a mistake or exposes a vulnerable area in their strategy, the military reserve can then be immediately committed to the battle. In some cases, the reserve may provide relief for the troops who are already engaged in fighting – like a second shift line. A military reserve force is quite different, as it can be either composed of part-time military personnel or civilians, all of whom are available to be called upon to fight if there is need for defense against invasion or in order to mobilize against war. Unlike the military reserve, the military reserve force is not counted as part of a country’s permanent body of armed forces.

Since military reserve forces are not actively engaged in battle on a regular basis, other countries legislate that mandatory service in their military can be counted as time spent as a member of the military reserve force. Israel and the Republic of China have a compulsory number of years that each individual must spend as a member of the military reserve force, in addition to completing one’s national service. There is a secondary type of military reserve force that functions slightly differently than the regular reserve forces, and this is known as the Home Guard. The Home Guard – such as the United States National Guard – is a military reserve force that is technically a militia, and can only be called upon to activate in the event of an invasion. The difference is that a Home Guard is composed strictly of civilians who have volunteered for the service, without part-time military personnel involved.

To receive an authentic military service medal issued by the United States Navy, a Sailor might want to visit the local uniform shop that is located on the Naval Air Station or Naval Base where they are stationed. The uniform shop carries all type of military awards, medals and uniform items and is sure to have everything that a Sailor might need to ensure that they have medals for formal ceremonies. When Sailors are presented an award for good conduct for a period of four years, they did not have to go shopping for the medal because the commanding officer where they are stationed had one in stock and presented the medal along with a certificate that was signed by an Admiral or high ranking officer of a command that was in a higher echelon in the chain of command.

There are many stellar events that occurred for some people to earn a service medal and some of them gave their life or limb to earn this type of recognition. The Purple Heart requires a person to be wounded in action during a conflict and some of these people have a hard time shopping for medals because they are no longer able to walk freely without the use of a crane or a prosthetic device. Anyone can shop for service medals through an internet connection and find service medals that are no longer stocked. These medals will probably be in limited supply because there are very few people left living that fought during World War I and might need a medal for personal reasons. Families are another matter entirely when it comes to keeping plenty of medals on hand because they are proud of the achievements of a son or a daughter who served their Country well.