Short Call you have to be able to effectuate a block out 3 hours from notification. This is due to traffic in the NYC area. The idea is a two hour window to report and an hour pre-flight but the way it is written you won't be busted for taking 2.5 to get to the airport if that is what it takes you.
"A" reserves (long call) get paid the least and fly the most. When I lived in DC and commuted to EWR on reserve I bid A simply because I knew I could drive it at anytime and meet the call out time and I didn't need to pay for a crashpad.
If you get converted from A to B more than twice in a month 1 hour is added to your min guarantee for the month for each subsequent time you are converted.
As far as mil dropping trips they just went to a computerized mil leave request. You can mil drop trips after an award but they may put you on RX (lineholder reserve days) or assign you a trip as a schedule adjustment for days originally scheduled that arent covered by mil leave. For example say you drop a trip scheduled for 10-13 (4 day) by taking mil leave 12-15. They can assign you RX days 10-11, assign you a trip 10-11, or give you nothing and leave it to you if you want to recover any flying.