However, to avoid accusations of Reagan being a draft dodger, the studio let him go in April 1942.[46][47]
As Reagan reported for duty, the army was using machines as opposed to horses,[46] and he had severe near-sightedness. His first assignment was at Fort Mason as a liaison officer, a role that allowed him to transfer to the United States Army Air Forces (AAF). Reagan became an AAF public relations officer and was subsequently assigned to the 18th AAF Base Unit in Culver City[48] where he felt that it was "impossible to remove an incompetent or lazy worker" and what professor J. David Woodard suggests, was frustrated by "the incompetence, the delays, and inefficiencies".[49] Despite this, Reagan participated in the Provisional Task Force Show Unit in Burbank[50] and continued to make films such as This Is the Army (1943).[51] He was also ordered to temporary duty in New York City to participate in the sixth War Loan Drive before being reassigned to Fort MacArthur until his discharge on December 9, 1945, as a captain. Throughout his military service, Reagan produced over 400 training films.