On April 23rd of this year, the Army Reserve will celebrate 113 years of courageous service to the Army and the Nation, evolving from a small corps of medical professionals to what it is today: the best trained, best equipped and most ready Army Reserve in our Nation’s history.

Through every war, operation and emergency, at home and abroad, the men and women of the Army Reserve have never failed to meet the challenges of their time.

From the valor of the 100th Battalion/442nd Infantry Regiment in World War II – whose awards include 560 Silver Star Medals, 21 Medals of Honor, and seven Presidential Unit Citations – to the courage of the Soldiers and units who responded to the COVID-19 pandemic without delay, the Army Reserve has always been there when the Nation needed them most.

Today, even amid a global pandemic, nearly 8,000 Soldiers from more than 250 units are deployed to 23 countries around the world.  We are grateful for their courage and dedication to ensuring that the Army Reserve is ready today and shaping the force to meet the challenges of tomorrow.
 

As we move into the future, the Army must have the forces and capabilities it needs to compete with our adversaries, respond to crisis, win in conflict, and change as needed for the future, and respond to crisis in the homeland.  

To accomplish that mission, the Army needs a dedicated federal Reserve that is ready today and shaping the force to meet the challenges of tomorrow.

That force is the United States Army Reserve.
 

Our priorities are straightforward:  People – who accomplish the critical work needed to ensure victory; Readiness – providing Soldiers and units to Combatant Commanders around the globe, supporting civil authorities at home, and training for the battlefields of tomorrow; and pursuing the Modernization required to support the Total Force in a joint, multi-domain operational environment.
 

In keeping with this year’s theme:  Celebrating the Courage of the Army Reserve Soldier, we will continue to develop ready and resilient Soldiers and capable leaders in support of the Army and the Joint Force; supportive employer and partner relationships to build strong families and communities; and an environment of dignity and respect that fosters a mindset of teamwork, continuous learning and growth so our Soldiers will continue to serve and lead and shape the future.

The journey we are on together includes many challenges, but we are ready now, and we will shape the Army Reserve for the demands of tomorrow.