On June 3, the U.S. Army Reserve Command (USARC), located at Fort McPherson, cased its command’s flag, or colors, and officially closed its headquarters as part of its move to Fort Bragg, N.C. The color casing ceremony, held outside the USARC Headquarters (Bldg. 315), marked a major milestone in the relocation to Fort Bragg in accordance with the 2005 BRAC law.
“I can’t stand here and say this is not a sad day,” said Lt. Gen. Jack Stultz, USARC commanding general. “Atlanta has offered a lot of support.” It was also the site where a lot of history was formed, Stultz added.
While headquartered at Fort McPherson, the Army Reserve underwent the transformation from a strategic reserve into an operational force needed to support global operations against terrorism.
Just as the Army Reserve went through changes, so too did the active Army, such as a consolidation of resources through BRAC.
As part of the big Army, the Army Reserve must also adhere to the changes to the active duty force, said Command Sgt. Maj. Michael Schultz, USARC command sergeant major. “The BRAC law affects the total Army, and the Reserves are part of the total Army,” he said. “As Soldiers we drive on.” That driving on will be a good thing, Schultz said.
Though often wrongly viewed as weekend warriors, the Army Reserves is an equal with the active duty force for the Army’s successes today. The move will help show that, as USARC will now be sharing a headquarters equally with U.S. Army Forces Command, which is also relocating from Fort McPherson.
“We’ll be in the same building, co-located with no segregation,” Schultz said. “It will show we are totally one team.” That teamwork will be important as both Army and Army Reserves continue their mission to defend America and its principals. “We’re moving, but we still have a mission,” Stultz said. “We are here for our nation no matter where our headquarters is.”
While the headquarters is leaving, Stultz said that doesn’t necessarily mean all ties to the Army Reserve are leaving. “We are not leaving Atlanta, the headquarters is leaving Atlanta,” Stultz said, adding the 335th Theater Signal Command will remain in East Point and the 3rd Medical Deployment Support Command will remain at Fort Gillem in the Fort Gillem enclave, Stultz said.
Additionally, several hundred USARC soldiers will remain at Fort McPherson through July to facilitate equipment turn in and turning the building and land over to the Fort McPherson Local Redevelopment Authority, a non-profit corporation that serves as a liaison between the DoD and local communities affected by BRAC.
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