The 104th Training Division sent us this today....
VANCOUVER, Wash. On April 23, 1908, Congress established the Medical Reserve Corps, which later became the Army Reserve, out of a group of 360 doctors to provide a reservoir of trained officers in times of war. On April 23, 2008, the U.S. Army Reserve turns 100 years old with nearly 190,000 proud members belonging to it living in communities across the country.
In the Pacific Northwest, Oregon Governor Ted Kulongoski and Washington Governor Christine Gregoire have each signed proclamations declaring April 23, 2008 as “U.S. Army Reserve Day.”
Since September 2001, nearly 2,300 Army Reservists from Washington and 550 from Oregon have been mobilized either in stateside or overseas capacities in support of the Global War on Terrorism. Currently, approximately 70 Oregon and 200 Washington Army Reservists are mobilized. A large portion of these soldiers are part of the 104th Division headquartered in Vancouver that are returning home this month. Approximately 300 officers and enlisted personnel deployed out of the 104th Division from all across the U.S. in April 2007. The majority of the Soldiers augmented the existing staff of the Multinational Security Transition Command – Iraq (MNSTC-I), headquartered in Baghdad. The MNSTC-I is responsible for assisting the Iraqi government in the development, organization and training of the Iraqi National Army and the Iraqi National Police.
To date, the Army Reserve has mobilized approximately 190,000 soldiers. Over 42,000 of these have been mobilized more then once either supporting missions stateside or abroad.
On April 6, 2008, the 104th Division suffered its first soldier killed in action since World War II. Major Stuart Adam Wolfer, of Emmett, Idaho, was killed in action as a result of enemy indirect fire in the international zone of Baghdad, Iraq. The 36 year old father of three and another Army Reserve colonel from Florida were killed while they worked out in a gym on a Sunday afternoon. Those causalities brought the total Army Reserve hostile deaths to 108 since 2001. Non-combat related deaths of deployed Army Reservists are at 50 while injuries sustained from combat are approximately 1,190.
Persons wanting to support the Wolfer family may contribute to the 'Stuart Wolfer Memorial Fund' at any Wells Fargo location. This fund has been set up as a college fund for Maj. Wolfer's girls ages 1, 3 and 5.
Local celebrations of the 100th Anniversary include a July 19th Welcome Home Warrior Citizen Ceremony the 104th Division is hosting at the Vancouver Barracks Parade Grounds. The 11:00 AM ceremony will commemorate the 100 years of the Army Reserve as well as honor some of the 300 104th Division soldiers that are returning this month and other Army Reservists returning from around the region. This event, along with having static displays of Army equipment and a community concert by the 104th Division Army Band at 2:30 PM, is joining with the Fort Vancouver National Park "Soldiers Bivouac" event running all weekend. They will have re-enactors and camps from the civil war through World War II set up on the parade grounds. The Army Reserve is joining in that theme displaying the life of the Army soldier of today. The 104th Division will also have a "fun run" starting at 8 AM, where the community is invited to join them in a formation run around the Fort Vancouver area.
On Saturday, despite winter-like weather keeping crowds to a minimum, local Army Reservists celebrated the Army Reserve’s 100th anniversary at Portland's PG & E Park. The 104th Division Band performed a pre-game concert, played and sang the National Anthem, and threw the first pitch at the Portland Beavers AAA baseball game.
From the “Minutemen” to citizen-soldiers, today’s Army Reserve Soldiers are prepared and available to rapidly deploy anywhere in the world when the nation calls. While simultaneously maintaining their civilian jobs in communities across the nation, the Army’s Reservists are meeting the challenges of today’s war on terror supporting various missions around the globe and at home. In its 100th year, the force celebrates its proud history and century-old commitment to readiness.
HISTORY of THE ARMY RESERVE:
FORERUNNERS OF THE ARMY RESERVE
The idea of a Reserve force in the United States dates well before 1908. The “Minutemen,” who played a crucial role in the Revolutionary War and earlier conflicts, were a part-time elite force which was required to assemble quickly and be highly mobile. Their name originates from their ability to march with a minute’s warning.
The United States Constitution of 1789 and the Militia Act of 1792 officially confirmed the reliance of the new nation on citizen-soldiers for defense. All citizens held the responsibility to defend and preserve their rights by serving in the armed forces. These American citizen-soldiers became the backbone of the Armed Forces from the very birth of the nation.
THE FIRST FEDERAL MILITARY RESERVE FORCE
At the start of the Civil War (1861-1865), the nation’s regular Army consisted of just over 15,000 men. As casualties mounted, both the North and South started turning to state militias, and in 1863, the Federal government created the first Federal military reserve force - the Veteran Reserve Corps.
The corps grew to include 24 regiments and 155 companies, and held combat service roles similar to those of today’s Army Reserve, such as clerks, recruiting officers, guards, and medical personnel. Over 60,000 men served in the corps, but once the war ended, the corps became inactive.
CREATION OF THE ARMY RESERVE
While the United States emerged victorious after the Spanish-American War, America learned that it needed a Reserve force of Soldiers that could answer the call to arms at a moment’s notice. The idea of “federal” citizen Soldiers was reborn.
On April 23, 1908, Congress established the Medical Reserve Corps—a group of 360 doctors in Reserve status who could be called upon to provide a reservoir of trained Officers in times of war. The Reserve force was expanded in 1916 and again in 1920.
100 YEARS OF SERVICE AND STRENGTH
Since 1908, the Army Reserve has served with excellence and honor in every major military and humanitarian engagement of the past 100 years, playing integral roles in World War I, World War II, Korea, Vietnam, the Cold War, Panama, the Persian Gulf, Somalia, Haiti, Bosnia, Kosovo, the Iraq War and the Global War on Terrorism.
World War I
Without the Army Reserve, the United States would not have been able to fight the Great War. More than 160,000 Army Reserve soldiers served on active duty during the First World War. This included about 80,000 enlisted Reservists and almost 90,000 officer Reservists, who served in every division of the American Expeditionary Force, including the Regular Army, the National Army of the National Guard.
The Reserve's importance to Army medicine, its original specialty, was particularly striking during World War I—Army Reserve medical officers (29,299) outnumbered Regular Army doctors (920) more than three to one. Of the Army nurses on active duty, almost half (170 out of 403) were Reservists.
Army Reserve heroes of World War I included Colonel Theodore Roosevelt, Jr. and America's “Ace of Aces” Captain Eddie Rickenbacker, who set the standard of dedicated service that Army Reserve Soldiers have followed ever since.
The Great Depression
One of President Roosevelt’s New Deal programs, the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC), created an opportunity for Army Reserve service during the Great Depression. The CCC was a work and relief program that sent mostly young, unemployed men to work on conservation projects in camps in rural areas. Between 1933 and 1939, more than 30,000 Reserve officers served as commanders or staff officers at 2,700 CCC camps, gaining valuable leadership experience.
World War II
At the start of the Second World War, only 2,700 Reserve officers were serving on active duty. Within one year, that number jumped to 57,000. By the end of the war, more than 200,000 Reserve Soldiers were on active duty, serving on every front. Roughly a quarter of the Army officers serving during the war were Army Reserve officers.
Among the notable Army Reserve heroes of World War II were Lieutenant General James H. Doolitttle, who led the first air attack on Japan in April 1942; Major General William J. Donovan, who headed the Office of Strategic Services – the predecessor of the CIA; and Brigadier General Theodore Roosevelt, Jr., the World War I hero who returned to duty and was the first general officer to come ashore on Normandy beach on D-Day.
Korean War
Five years after the end of World War II, more than 240,000 Army Reserve Soldiers were called to duty for war in Korea (1950-1953). Fourteen Reserve battalions and 40 separate companies actually went to Korea. Seven Reserve Soldiers, including Corporal Hiroshi Miyamura, received the Medal of Honor for their heroism in combat.
For the first time, female Organized Reservists were called to active duty in the Korean War. Army Reserve nurses served in hospitals close to the front lines in Korea, including the famous Mobile Army Surgical Hospitals—or MASH units. Many female soldiers took the places of male soldiers needed in combat units. The women reservists of the Korean War answered the call to duty and performed well, setting the stage for an increased role for women in the Army Reserve.
While the Korean War was underway, Congress began making significant changes in the structure and role of the Reserve. The Organized Reserve became the United States Army Reserve, which was divided into a Ready Reserve, Standby Reserve and Retired Reserve.
Cold War and Vietnam
More than 69,000 Army Reserve Soldiers were called to action in response to the Berlin Crisis in 1961. The Reserve also stood ready to answer the nation’s call during major events, including the Cuban Missile Crisis. Forty-two Army Reserve Units were mobilized in 1968—35 of these units went to Vietnam.
In earlier years, the mission of the Army Reserve was to serve as a “strategic” force; however by the end of the Cold War and Vietnam War, the role of the force was quickly evolving into an “operational” ready force.
Persian Gulf War
Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm led to the largest call for Reserve forces since the Korean War. More than 84,000 Army Reserve Soldiers from 647 units helped liberate Kuwait. Army Reserve Soldiers contributed significantly to the total Army’s success by providing the bulk of water purification and distribution. In fact, the Army Reserve’s 316th Quartermaster Company distributed 8.4 million gallons of water during the Persian Gulf War.
The Army Reserve also provided civil affairs support, enemy prisoner-of-war handling, postal work, petroleum handling, military history, and psychological operations. Other participating Army Reserve units included chemical decontamination, transportation, military police, maintenance, and engineering. Army Reserve Soldiers were among the first to fight and were among the last to leave the desert.
Somalia, Haiti and Bosnia
A key step in the development of the Army Reserve took place in 1991 with the establishment of the U.S. Army Reserve Command (USARC), located in Atlanta, GA. The USARC has responsibility for command and control of Troop Program Units nationwide. The Chief of the Army Reserve commands the USARC.
Since 1991, the Army Reserve has been engaged almost constantly around the world in combat, humanitarian and peacekeeping operations. Reserve Soldiers provided support during the Gulf War and Somalia from 1992 to 1994 and went to Haiti in 1995 to restore democracy. More than 13,000 Reserve Soldiers have been mobilized for the Bosnia operations Joint Endeavor, Joint Guard and Joint Force.
Global War on Terrorism
Less than a month after the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, the United States struck back at al Qaeda in Operation Enduring Freedom. Army Reserve Soldiers were on the front lines from the very beginning of the Global War on Terrorism.
Army Reserve Soldiers served alongside active component Soldiers to drive Afghanistan’s repressive Taliban regime from power. When Operation Iraqi Freedom began on March 20, 2003, Army Reserve Soldiers fought their way to Baghdad with other U.S. forces and coalition allies and took down Saddam Hussein’s regime.
The Army Reserve remains heavily committed in both Iraq and Afghanistan. Army Reserve Soldiers have been engaged in the development of the emerging Afghan democracy and the Afghan National Army. They continue to battle Iraqi insurgents while laying the groundwork for Iraq’s security forces to take over the mission.
More than 190,000 Army Reserve Soldiers have been mobilized since the terrorist attacks of September 11th. Over 40,000 of those have mobilized more then once. Ninety-eight percent of Army Reserve units have provided mobilized Soldiers in Iraq, Afghanistan and 18 other countries. More than 140 Army Reserve Soldiers have lost their lives during Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom.
The Global War on Terrorism has proved that the Army Reserve is no longer a “strategic” force in reserve, but rather an “operational ready” partner with the active Army. According to the Chief of the Army Reserve, “Wherever the Army commits forces in the world – Afghanistan, Uzbekistan, Pakistan, the Philippines and anywhere else – Army reservists are an integral part, providing critical support, force protection and augmentation…Today the nation is asking Army Reserve Soldiers to be prepared to serve on active duty when called.”
Additional information about the Army Reserve’s 100th Anniversary can be found on-line at www.armyreserve.army.mil.
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