There is much confusion about the terms "active Reserve" and "inactive Reserve." People in the reserve who go to monthly meetings and summser camp are in the "active Reserve (not to be confused with "activated" Reserve--- those called up to active duty.).
"inactive" means just that, you don't have to do anything at all, just keep your address up to date. You are free to pursue whatever political activities you wish.
It's been a lot of years ago but I served 4 years active duty and then was two years in inactive reserve. I did not receive a dd214 until after that period. I was told at that time that officers were in the inactive reserve for life.. Any truth to that?
Also, when I enlisted I had just turned 18 years old and the recruiter told me there was no need to register for the draft. After 4 years active duty I came home and within a month I was drafted. The notice was very pointed that I was being drafted because I had never registered.
It was a red tape nightmare getting out of that. After 4 years of military life I was sick of it. I finally convinced the draft board that I had done my time and they eventualy quit bothering me.
don't forget - Kerry was drafted - he was refused deferrment to school in Paris so he joined with the Naval Reserve (like the National Guard) in hopes of avoiding combat. When he was sent to Vietnam he chose swift boats because, at that time, they were not involved in any hostile activities. It was only thereafter that their mission changed and he was forced to serve in combat, something he whined and complained incessantly about for those 3 months he served, before getting his 3rd Purple Heart and bugging out 3 days later, arriving home in NYC "so heavily bandaged", his former fiance told Douglas Brinkley, she could see it stuffing out.