Master Chief Boatswain's Mate Donald H. Horsley served on active duty for how long?

• A. Forty-four years, four months, and twenty-seven days
• B. Forty years, six months
• C. Forty-five years
• D. Thirty-nine years

Answer: (A)

Active-duty service length is the total time someone serves on active duty, measured from the date they enter active duty to the date they retire or are discharged, often recorded precisely in official bios. For Donald H. Horsley, the documented figure is forty-four years, four months, and twenty-seven days, which exactly matches his service record. That exactness is why this option is the best—official biographies and retirement documents track service time to the day. The other durations are shorter or rounded and do not reflect the precise record.