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CELEBRATING THE 100TH BIRTHDAY OF THE UNITED STATES ARMY RESERVE, HONORING THE COMMITMENT, DEDICATION, AND SERVICE TO AMERICA, AND WISHING FOR ITS CONTINUED SUPPORT TO OUR SOLDIERS.
Whereas, in 1908, the nation's leaders knew that the most up-to-date medical experience resided in the civilian sector created the first reservoir of trained officers in a reserve status, known as the Medical Reserve Corps; and
Whereas, today, over sixty-seven percent of the Army's medical assets lie within the Army Reserve; and
Whereas, in 1916, Congress passed the National Defense Act, creating the Officers' Reserve Corps, the Enlisted Reserve Corps, and the Reserve Officers' Training Corps, later named the Organized Reserve Corps (ORC), all of which are forerunners of the current Army Reserve; and
Whereas, in both World Wars, Army Reserve soldiers answered the call of duty. In World War I, 89,500 reserve officers were mobilized and during World War II, 200,000 members of the ORC participated, with reserve officers provided twenty-nine percent of the Army's Officers; and
Whereas, in 1952, legislation renamed the ORC as the Army Reserve and then divided it into three reserves, a Ready Reserve, a Standby Reserve, and a Retired Reserve. Legislation also provided that reserve units have twenty-four training days and up to seventeen days of annual training; and
Whereas, the Army Reserve has been an integral part of numerous conflicts. More than seventy Army Reserve units were deployed to the Korean Peninsula, more than 84, 000 soldiers provided combat support and combat service support during Operation Desert Shield/Storm, and others provided support in Somalia, Haiti, Bosnia, Kosovo, Operation Enduring Freedom, Operation Noble Eagle, and Operation Iraqi Freedom; and
Whereas, the role of the Army Reserve has changed over time. Moving from a Strategic Reserve to an Operational Force, the Army Reserve also provides resources and training to first-responder organizations across the nation, trains soldiers, implements national objectives, keeps the army mobile, and enables the Army to do more with fewer resources; and
Whereas, the Army Reserve makes up twenty percent of the Army's organized units, but provides one half of the Army's combat support and one-fourth of its mobilization base expansion capabilities. Now, therefore,
Be it resolved by the Senate:
That the members of the Senate, by this resolution, celebrate the 100th birthday of the United States Army Reserve, honor its service to America, and wish them another century of continued support.
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