[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 150 (Friday, October 31, 1997)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E2163]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




          75TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE RESERVE OFFICERS ASSOCIATION

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                            HON. IKE SKELTON

                              of missouri

                    in the house of representatives

                        Friday, October 31, 1997

  Mr. SKELTON. Mr. Speaker, in the analysis that followed World War I, 
it was clear to many American military experts that we suffered 
unacceptably high casualties due in no small part to the lack of a 
well-trained reserve force. With this in mind, Congress enacted the 
National Defense Act of 1920 which created, among other things, a 
200,000 member Officers Reserve Corps.
  On October 2, 1922, the Reserve Officers Association of the United 
States was organized at the suggestion of General of the Army, John J. 
Pershing. General Pershing charged the ROA with the responsibility to 
recruit the corps, develop public support for it, and petition Congress 
to appropriate adequate funds to train these citizen service members. 
One of my State's most prominent citizens, President Harry S Truman, a 
junior officer during World War I, was an original, charter organizer 
of the ROA. In the 75 years since its founding the ROA has more than 
met the challenges given to it by General Pershing.
  At the beginning of World War II, 115,000 members of the Reserve 
Officers Corps were trained and available for instant service, helping 
us avoid the hectic days of 1917, when there was no adequate reservoir 
of officers to draw upon. Since that time, reservists have been 
involved in all of our conflicts, including the 267,000 that were 
recalled for Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm, and the 14,000 
that have served in IFOR and SFOR in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
  Throughout all of these years, the ROA has been active--supporting 
initiatives to strengthen our Nation's military, and opposing efforts 
to undermine America's preparedness. It has helped stop dangerous and 
ill-advised cuts in our Nation's reserve forces. It has fought for and 
won improvements in the pay and benefits of all of our Armed Forces--
measures which have been vital to us in recruiting and retaining a 
quality force.
  Today, the ROA is a strong, vibrant, and well-respected association 
of 90,000 members, 68 percent of whom are life members. It is an 
organization whose integrity and credibility meet the highest 
standards. Because of my deep respect for the ROA and its work, I was 
deeply honored to receive its Minute Man of the Year Award in 1995.
  Mr. Speaker, I know that all of our colleagues in the House will join 
me in congratulating the Reserve Officers Association of the United 
States on its 75th anniversary, and in wishing it all the best in its 
future endeavors.

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