FORT HOOD, Texas -- Soldiers and civilians celebrated the Army Reserve's 105th birthday at First Army Division West's chapel here Tuesday with a cake-cutting ceremony and singing "Happy Birthday" and "The Army Song."
The post's youngest and oldest Soldiers, Spc. Benjamin Dunbar and Command Sgt. Maj. Evereth Stanton, both of the Hood Mobilization Brigade, cut the cake.
Staff Sgt. LaKendra Johnson, noncommissioned officer-in-charge of the chapel, sang "The Star-Spangled Banner."
Brig. Gen. Gracus Dunn, Division West deputy commanding general for support, joined Army Reserve Ambassador Dr. Henry Ostermann in speaking about the Army Reserve's history since its creation in 1908.
Dunn, who serves in a dual assignment as the commanding general of the 85th Support Command in Chicago, Ill., spoke about how reserve forces were called upon during World War II when the Army mobilized 26 Army Reserve infantry divisions.
"Most of our Reserve units that you see coming through Fort Hood," he said, "have a lineage as an Army combat division."
Dunn said his own 85th SC served during World War II in Italy under the Army's II Corps, and produced four Medal of Honor recipients during that time. Today, the 85th SC channels all administrative actions for Army Reserve Soldiers in Division West to U.S. Army Reserve Command.
"It wasn't until Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm that up to 84,000 Army Reservists were again mobilized to support the nation's interests," said Dunn. "And since September 11, 2001, over 220,000 Army Reserve Soldiers have been mobilized to support 10 years of persistent conflict."
"Today, our Army Reserve is a life-saving, life-sustaining force that provides critical combat support and combat service support for our Army, and has done so since World War I through our current operations in Afghanistan," said Ostermann, who retired from the Army Reserve in 2008 as a brigadier general.
"You (Reservists) develop your expertise in the civilian community and bring it to our Army," Ostermann continued. "And our Army utilizes that to great benefit for our country. Let me thank you, your Families and your communities for the many sacrifices that you have made."
In addition to the Fort Hood celebration, Division West brigades held 105th Army Reserve birthday celebrations at Fort Bliss, Texas; Fort McCoy, Wis.; Fort Hunter Liggett, Calif.; and Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Wash.
Created in 1908 as the Medical Reserve Corps, today's Army Reserve is a key complimentary operational force that supports the entire United States military in training and in combat, in 148 military occupational specialty fields.
The federal government created the Organized Reserve Corps in the National Defense Act of 1920, due to the success of the Medical Reserve Corps and a growing need for a high-quality, skilled reserve force.
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