Reserves stays Army strong in 114th year

By REBECCA SALLEEApril 14, 2022

(Photo Credit: Presley Price) VIEW ORIGINAL

It’s not every day you celebrate a 114th birthday.

But the Army Reserve is doing so this month.

In Huntsville, the birthday will be observed at an annual breakfast sponsored by the Redstone-Huntsville Chapter of the Association of the U.S. Army.

The event will be held on April 22 at the Jackson Center, with Maj. Gen. Walter Duzzny, chief of staff of the Army Materiel Command, providing a keynote speech.

Duzzny also serves as AMC’s assistant deputy commander for the Army Reserve.

First proposed by Gen. George Washington as a federal force to be “held in readiness for service,” the Army Reserve was created in April 1908 as the Medical Reserve Corps.

A group of 160 doctors were formed “to provide the nation with a reservoir of trained medical professionals for employment in times of emergency.”

Under the National Defense Act of 1920, Congress created the Organized Reserves, now known as the Army Reserve, comprised of more than 189,000 Soldiers, with part-time government jobs in such varied fields as law enforcement, music, engineering and information technology.

Members dedicate one weekend a month and two weeks a year to the organization, which in return provides them with a plethora of benefits, including enlistment bonuses, pay, money for college or repayment of student loans, health care and insurance, and job certifications.

The Army Reserve is open to U.S. citizens or permanent resident aliens who are 17 to 34 years old, healthy and in good physical condition, and in good moral standing. Some positions within the Reserve require additional qualifications.

Lang Zhou of Madison, a sergeant first class in the Reserves 318th CBRN Company, spent seven years on active duty in the Army and has been in the Army Reserve for 13 years.

“Although I enjoyed my time in regular Army, I appreciated what Army Reserve offers,” Zhou said. “For citizens who have family and/or civilian work commitments, they cannot move as frequently as active-duty Soldiers.

“Army Reserve provides me a little more stability while still being able to serve the country as a proud Soldier.”

Here are a few other facts about the Reserve:

·     Reserve units can be found in all 50 states, five U.S. territories and more than 23 countries around the world.

·     The Reserve comprises almost 20% of the Army’s total force.

·     There are more than 120 job opportunities in the Reserve, including logistics, military intelligence, cyber security, legal work and aviation.

For more information about the Army Reserve, visit usar.army.mil.

To make reservations for the annual Army Reserve Birthday Breakfast, email john-perry@irtc-hq.com.