active duty
Full-time military status
Active duty is full-time military service, as distinguished from reserve or part-time status.
Someone on active duty lives under military authority and can be deployed at any time: He served two tours of active duty in Afghanistan.
The term appears in contexts of benefits, legal status, and family life: active-duty pay, active-duty spouse.
In foreign countries
- troopsMilitary personnel collectively
- missionPurpose-driven task
- baseSupporting bottom structure
- warzoneArea of active fighting
tour · combat · operation · station · posting · theater · frontline · assignment
Formal binding promise
- serviceAid or maintenance
- dedicationWholehearted loyalty to purpose
- loyaltyFaithful commitment to another
- allegianceLoyalty owed to authority
patriotism · honor · country · sacrifice · valor · courage · selflessness · devotion
Hole-boring device
- trainingDeveloping abilities through practice
- regimentationStrict systematic control
- protocolPrescribed conduct rules
- chain of commandFormal authority hierarchy
regulations · orders · inspection · formation · barracks · reveille · taps · PT
Voluntary entry into service
- militaryArmed forces collectively
- careerLifelong occupational pursuit
- tenureProtected employment status
- termFixed period or word
stint · commission · rank · billet · full-time · professional · standing army · regular army
State of being equipped
- alertnessActive mental awareness
- operationalReady to function
- tacticalStrategically planned
- mobilizedAssembled for action
on call · standby · rapid response · training exercise · war footing · battle stations · deployable · qualified
overseas
In foreign countries
warzone · tour · combat · operation · station · posting · theater · frontline · assignment · rotation
oath
Formal binding promise
- serviceAid or maintenance
- dedicationWholehearted loyalty to purpose
- loyaltyFaithful commitment to another
allegiance · patriotism · honor · country · sacrifice · valor · courage · selflessness · devotion · obligation
drill
Hole-boring device
- trainingDeveloping abilities through practice
- regimentationStrict systematic control
- protocolPrescribed conduct rules
chain of command · regulations · orders · inspection · formation · barracks · reveille · taps · PT · uniform code
enlistment
Voluntary entry into service
- militaryArmed forces collectively
- careerLifelong occupational pursuit
- tenureProtected employment status
term · stint · commission · rank · billet · full-time · professional · standing army · regular army · permanent
preparedness
State of being equipped
- alertnessActive mental awareness
- operationalReady to function
- tacticalStrategically planned
mobilized · on call · standby · rapid response · training exercise · war footing · battle stations · deployable · qualified · certified
- military dutiespatrol, kitchen patrol, night watch, standing watch, fireguard
- military policydefense strategy, defense budget, military spending, troop deployment, national security
- military statusenlisted, retired, deployed, veteran, reservist
- Navy Careersnaval careers, navy personnel, enlisted ranks, naval ranks, officer corps
- militarysoldiers, army, troops, officers, navy
- U.S. MilitaryArmy, Air Force, Marine Corps, Space Force, Pentagon
active dutyreserve duty
Periodic military service obligation
reserves · National Guard · retired · discharged · off-duty
active dutycivilian life
Non-military everyday existence
civilian · discharged · veteran status · out of service · private sector
active, duty, activity, activate, proactive, deactivate, actively, reactive, activation