Do we say reserve private at the army or reservist private at the army?

Answer 1

The US Army consists of three armies: Regular Army, Army Reserves, and the Army National Guard. The US Air Force has the same organization. The USN & USMC do not; they only have reserves.

For the Army & Air Force; the AIR National Guard and the ARMY National Guard are (and/or were up until the US Civil War) separate forces at one time; they were the STATE MILITIAS under the command and control of the GOVERNOR of the state that they belonged to. Example: During the US Civil War you might read during some battles (examples only) about the "35th Mississippi engaging the 46th New York at such and such place." AFTER the US Civil War, those names wouldn't be used...they'd say, as an example: "69th US Armor engaging the 202nd NVA Armor" (actual units engaged during the Vietnam War), but the 69th wouldn't mention a state...just the army itself...the US.

Post US Civil War...the Army National Guard became the US National Guard so that "states" wouldn't fight each other again. Even though the Guard is still officially under the "C & C" (command & control) of the Governor, if he goes against the US government, as Arizona threatened to do in the 1930's over a dam project (water project); and Governor Wallace of Alabama actually mobilized his Alabama Army National Guard during a Civil Rights action in the 1960's, the US government can (and did in Wallace's case) activate the Guard unit into the REGULAR ARMY, this is a safety measure to prevent another civil war.

Therefore, ALL US Army Reservists, Guardsmen, and US Army Regulars are US Soldiers: Privates, Private First Class, Specialists, Sergeants, etc. If you look at their uniforms they will ALL SAY US ARMY on them. None will say US Army Reserves or National Guard.

Only on paper (orders: sometimes) will designations be so marked: Jones (USAR) or Jones (ANG or ARNG).

Bottom line: Unless they were West Pointers or otherwise had received an "RA" commission, all US Army officers in Vietnam were Reserve/Guard officers on active duty. Upon completion of their tour of duty...they were returned to Army Reserve/Guard status and sent home.