Extending Call-Up for Reservists

An order signed by President Bush late Friday extends the maximum length of the reserve call - up from 180 days to up to two years and allows additional call - ups. The order authorizes the Pentagon to put up to 1 million reserves on active duty, although officials said there are no plans for such an extensive call-up. The Pentagon had been limited to calling up 200,000 reservists.

There now are 460,000 U.S. forces in the gulf region. Of those, about 150,000 are reservists. Without the extension, the active duty time of the first reservists called up in August would have expired next month.