Army Reserve celebrates 105 years Published April 18, 2013 By Maj. Gen. William D. Razz Waff 99th Regional Support Command JOINT BASE MCGUIRE-DIX-LAKEHURST, N.J. -- On April 23, our nation will celebrate the 105th anniversary of the Army Reserve. From its origins in the Medical Reserve Corps in 1908 to its evolution as an indispensable part of the Army's total force, the Army Reserve has shown itself to be a life-saving, life-sustaining force for the Army and the nation. Currently 201,000 Army Reserve Soldiers serve in more than 1,200 facilities in 700 communities across the country. The Army Reserve's mission is to provide trained, equipped and ready Soldiers and cohesive units to meet global requirements across the full range of operations. The Army Reserve accomplished this mission to the fullest during the past decade, with the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq serving as a proving ground for the value our citizen Soldiers bring to the front. Since Sept. 11, 2001, more than 250,000 Army Reserve Soldiers have deployed in support of operations ENDURING FREEDOM, IRAQI FREEDOM and NOBLE EAGLE. The past 10 years of war fighting have honed our citizen Soldiers' skills and helped usher in the Army Reserve's transition from a strategic reserve to an operational force. As commanding general of one of the Army Reserve's four regional support commands, I can tell you never in our nation's history has the Army Reserve been more indispensable to America's Army. The Army Reserve has evolved into an essential part of the total force with streamlined deployable forces and citizen Soldiers who embody the warrior ethos after a decade of war. Supported by resilient families, engaged employers and caring communities, the Army Reserve has become a truly indispensible force. The Army Reserve's structure is designed to provide complementary capabilities to those in the active component. The Army has relied on the depth and breadth of its federal-reserve force for more than a century. Most Army Reserve Soldiers hold full-time civilian jobs in the public and private sectors, sharpening their skills at little or no cost to the Department of Defense. Military skills such as law enforcement, transportation and medical skills are often sharpened by their civilian employment, allowing a depth of readiness that is hard to replicate. Additionally, the skill sets found in the Army Reserve are not seen in the active component or the National Guard, which makes them a unique capability accessible anytime they are needed. With that set of parameters, we provide the operational flexibility and strategic depth required to face 21st century threats to our security and way of life. Generations of husbands, wives, sons and daughters have volunteered to serve in the distinguished dual role of citizen and Soldier, and it's no secret that America's greatest generations are built on the strength of its strongest citizens - our Soldiers. On Tuesday, we celebrate the continued legacy of honorable service being carried on by our current generation of men and women who choose to be "twice the citizen." Army Reserve Soldiers are now able to leverage their unique skills and abilities both at home and abroad, as the 2012 National Defense Authorization Act allowed Army Reserve Soldiers - and our sister Title 10 reservists - to provide defense support to civil authorities in times of natural disaster, a role traditionally held by the National Guard. This new authorization was put to the test when Superstorm Sandy ravaged the Northeast. Within a short response time Army Reserve Soldiers could be found pumping water from flooded areas, offering shelter and respite for citizens and emergency responders at local Army Reserve facilities in afflicted areas and providing other types of assistance to our civilian neighbors. People are our Army - both those who put on the uniform, and those who support us. It is no secret that the strength of our nation is our Army, the strength of our Army is our Soldiers, the strength of our Soldiers is our families and the strength of our families is the support we receive from the communities in which we live. This chain of support is only as strong as its weakest link, and I'm proud to say, over the past ten years, this chain has held steadfast and remained unbroken. Thank you to all the members of our extended Army Reserve Family who have kept, and continue to keep, this chain of support "Army Strong." Our citizen Soldiers share the boons and burdens of the nation at large, and the men and women who serve in the Army Reserve are not immune to the current struggling economy, tight job market and uncertain fiscal future. Despite this period of uncertainty, readiness is non-negotiable. The Army Reserve must remain highly trained, ready to deploy and appropriately modernized in order to meet the needs of the nation - we can accept nothing less. The Army Reserve will continue to provide trained and ready forces to prevail in the current fight and to overcome tomorrow's challenges as well. As we prepare to celebrate the Army Reserve's 105th birthday with speeches and cake cuttings, let's not forget those still serving in harm's way around the world. Today, nearly 12,000 Army Reserve Soldiers are deployed across the globe, keeping lit the flame of liberty's torch. We must keep them in mind as we celebrate the freedoms for which they have served and, in some cases, given their last full measure. To all those men and women who serve in the Army Reserve, both at home and abroad, to their families who continue to endure and the civilians who support them, I would like to say thank you for all you do. Our freedom rests in the hands of this capable and dedicated all-volunteer force, and it gives me great pleasure to wish all my fellow Army Reserve Soldiers a heartfelt and well-deserved "happy birthday." The Army Reserve birthday gives us a great opportunity to reflect on our outstanding contributions in the past, our current world-wide missions and to imagine an even more robust Army Reserve serving at the Army's federal operational reserve. Dauntless.