5th AR celebrates Army Reserve's 105th birthday

By Capt. John Brimley, 5th Armored Brigade, Division West, Public AffairsMay 16, 2013

5th AR celebrates Army Reserve's 105th birthday
1 / 2 Show Caption + Hide Caption – (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
5th AR celebrates Army Reserve's 105th birthday
2 / 2 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Left to right: Command Sgt. Maj. Steven Walker, McGregor Range (N.M.) Mayor Cell noncommissioned officer-in-charge; Command Sgt. Maj. Gabriel Jimenez, command sergeant major of the Directorate of Mobilization and Deployment; Col. John Dorney, directo... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL

McGREGOR RANGE, N.M. -- Division West's 5th Armored Brigade celebrated the Army Reserve's 105th birthday April 23 with a cake-cutting at the dining facility here.

"The Reserve force is a huge part of our formation," said Col. Eric Schacht, 5th Armored Brigade commander. "It'd be tough to carry out our mission without them."

The brigade trains several thousand Reserve Soldiers every year in support of Operation Enduring Freedom and Guantanamo Bay and, previously, Operations Iraqi Freedom and New Dawn. The brigade is multi-component, comprised of active-duty, Army National Guard and Army Reserve Soldiers.

Retired Col. Robert Cortez, the New Mexico Army Reserve Ambassador, participated in the celebration and expressed his appreciation for the Soldiers of the Army Reserve.

"Thanks for all you do to keep the Army strong," Cortez said.

Cortez spent more than 35 years in the Army and Navy Reserve, which allows him to view the Reserve force through a personal lens.

"We've proven ourselves to be very capable as Soldiers," said Cortez. "The Reserve is very important to make [the Army] a viable force."

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