The reserve component has also been known as the Citizen Air Force (CAF).

In 1919, in his Outline Policy for the Military Air Force of Australia, Major General J. G. Legge proposed: "The Military Air Force of Australia should mainly be composed from Citizen Forces with a proportion of permanent troops.

The latter to provide for the instruction of the force and the maintenance of equipment.

"[1] While the RAAF was established in 1921, it was not until April 1936 that CAF units were raised in Adelaide, Brisbane, Melbourne, Perth and Sydney.

[1] In 1981, the active reserve – as opposed to the inactive or standby component – of the Citizen Air Force was renamed the RAAF Active Reserve.