That’s the gist of it. If you’re just doing your “One weekend a month, two weeks a year” and not on active duty, do you draw a regular paycheck?
Yup, once a month. For two days, you draw the equivilent active duty pay for four days. I think the two weeks are paid “straight time,” though, but I think you get quarters allowance if you stay at home every night for those two weeks, and maybe food allowance if you don’t have a mess hall. At least I did, but that was more 'n a decade ago.
Reservists and National Guard are considered to be on Active Duty during their two weeks’ Annual Training and thus draw regular component pay and allowances during such training. They also receive the same regular component pay and allowances for any other Active Duty assignments during the year. Not so long ago, when the Reservist/National Guard member was not on Active Duty for Training, he or she was not entitled to Commissary and Exchange privileges full-time. Back then, he or she (or dependent family member) was required to show an LES in addition to the DD Form 2 (ID Card). For the Commissary (IIRC), he or she was required to show Active Duty for Training orders in addition to the DD Form 2.
Not totally accurate. SELRES (Selected Reserve) personnel get benefits that are similar to active duty during their two weeks of active duty, but not the same. They get the same basic pay for example, but they don’t get the same bonuses, housing allowance or medical benefits for example.