"One weekend a month, two weeks a year" is a (now defunct) slogan used by the U.S. Army National Guard. It indicated the amount of time an individual would need to spend actively in the Guard to be a Guardsman with benefits and such. It was dropped during the Iraq War after it became clear that Guardsmen were now serving considerably more time in service.
The slogan "one weekend a month, two weeks a year" has been most commonly seen by Americans in recruiting ads for the National Guard. Although the slogan is no longer directly used in advertising, as of 2004 the slogan is still used to describe the duties of at least some military posts.{{cite web
title = "10 Steps to Joining the Military: Step 4: Meet the recruiter"
work = Military.com
accessdate = 2006-05-12 "As a member of the AGR [Active Guard and Reserve] you are assigned a full time mobilization slot or billet in the unit you serve in on that one weekend a month/two weeks a year."
The slogan has also been used to contrast the commitment that a National Guard member would give during those times when his country was not at war. Other forces have used this slogan as something against which they can contrast their own dedication,{{cite web
url = http://alguard.state.al.us/20th/soldier.htm
title = "The Special Forces Soldier"
publisher = Alabama National Guard
accessdate = 2006-05-12"… the Guard SF soldier operates way outside the normal 'one weekend a month - two weeks a year' of regular National Guard duty. The monthly drills and yearly deployments are nearly twice as long as the normal Guard requirements."showing that, as members of the special forces, they are not mere "weekend warriors".
Understanding the meaning of the slogan to those enlisted in the National Guard requires understanding the historical context in which it was given. During World War II the National Guard was called up to defend their country, and this was repeated in the Korean War even when American soil was not directly threatened. At this time, joining the reserves could clearly be seen as a route to service overseas. However, at the time of the Vietnam War, President Johnson made it clear that the National Guard's role was to defend the country and not to be involved in overseas adventures. At the time this meant that those who joined the force could be fairly sure of not seeing action in the war.
"One Weekend a Month, My Ass
" sign posted on a vehicle in Iraq.
After the war was over, although requirements changed (see below), the perception that the primary focus of the National Guard would be self defense did not. This means that many of those which joined prior to the Iraq War were those who had decided that their commitment to serve was only sufficient for long assignments in the case where their country was endangered.The slogan related directly to the motivation of the majority of Guardsmen, which was that they wished to defend their own country if it came under attack from outside. The belief was that only in the case of a Pearl Harbor-like attack on America would they be enlisted.
The National Guard remains less well equipped and trained than front line combat units.{{cite web
title = Talking Points: "Neglecting the National Guard and Reserves"
publisher = Center for American Progress
accessdate = 2006-05-12This is a typical situation in the "self defense" forces of many countries, for example, the UK's Home Guard during World War II. These forces expected to act as a last desperate line of defense, primarily motivated by the fact that they are defending their own homes and families.
The commitment to Iraq has meant that many National Guards feel the terms in which they understood their recruitment have been breached. The slogan has now become known in a changed form, "One weekend a month my ass",{{cite web
title = "Army to Use Fewer National Guard Troops in Iraq"
work = Washington Post
accessdate = 2006-05-17. The majority are supposed to serve for six months or a year. However, some specialists in the reserve forces have been required to serve for up to two years.
In the meantime, the role of the National Guard which, in the Vietnam War, largely resolved around home defense and policing,{{cite web
accessdate = 2006-05-12have been carried by reserve and Guard units.
It has been claimed in the USA Media that the change in expectations on the National Guard is a deliberate change in policy by military planners in response to the Vietnam War.{{cite web
accessdate = 2006-05-13The need to use the National Guard is designed to reduce the possibility of "half-hearted" wars in future. Actual legal changes were made by the US Congress and in the 1980s which moved final decision from their commander's in chief, the state governors, to the federal government. These new laws were successfully defended against challenges from state governors in the U.S. Supreme Court. {{cite web
