[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 45 (Wednesday, April 22, 1998)]
[Senate]
[Pages S3465-S3466]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




     CONGRATULATING U.S. ARMY RESERVE ON ITS 90TH ANNIVERSARY AND 
   RECOGNIZING CONTRIBUTIONS OF STROM THURMOND, PRESIDENT PRO TEMPORE

  Mr. COVERDELL. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate 
proceed to the immediate consideration of Senate Resolution 213 
submitted earlier today by Senator Helms.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report.
  The assistant legislative clerk read as follows:

       A resolution (S. Res. 213) congratulating the United States 
     Army Reserve on its 90th anniversary and recognizing the 
     important contributions of Strom Thurmond, the President Pro 
     Tempore of the Senate, who served with distinction in the 
     United States Army Reserve for 36 years.

  The Senate proceeded to consider the resolution.
 Mr. HELMS. Mr. President, the resolution that I am offering 
today, along with 28 other Senators, is intended to commemorate the 
90th Anniversary of the United States Army Reserve and to honor the 
soldiers who have served in the USAR, including our good friend and 
Senate President pro tempore, Senator Strom Thurmond, who served with 
distinction as an Army Reservist for 36 years.
  Winston Churchill once remarked that ``the reservist is twice the 
citizen.'' Indeed, the accolade ``twice the citizen'' serves as the 
title of the definitive history of the U.S. Army Reserve that was 
written by the late Colonel Richard B. Crossland and Colonel James T. 
Currie, whose assistance was invaluable in drafting this resolution. 
The concept that reservists fulfill multiple roles as citizens in their 
community while simultaneously training for war and other military 
operations was never more true than today.
  Today's Army Reserve of almost 487,000 Ready Reserve and Standby 
Reserve soldiers and 600,000 Retired Reserve soldiers is a far cry from 
its predecessor, the Medical Reserve Corps, which was authorized by 
statute on April 23, 1908. On that date, President Theodore Roosevelt 
signed an act ``to Increase the Efficiency of the Medical Department of 
the United States Army.'' The act provided for the commissioning of a 
few hundred Reserve medical doctors, in order to avert future shortages 
of officers, such as the one that had occurred during the Spanish-
American War.
  Mr. President, since that modest beginning, the USAR has grown to 
become a community-based force with over 1200 facilities across the 
United States and more than 2000 units in the United States and its 
territories.
  While comprising only about 20 percent of the Army's organized units 
and receiving only about 5 percent of the Army's budget , today's Army 
Reserve includes 46 percent of the Army's combat service support (CSS) 
assets and more than a quarter of the Army's combat support (CS) 
assets. These assets include medical, engineer, transportation, civil 
affairs, legal, military police, and psychological operations units 
which are essential to any military operation.
  From World War I when the USAR contributed more than 160,000 soldiers 
to the United States Army, through World War II, Korea, Vietnam and 
Desert Shield/Desert Storm, the soldiers of the USAR have been ready 
when the President called upon them.
  Even today, as we spend more and more of our limited defense 
resources on so-called ``contingency operations'' and ``operations 
other than war,'' the soldiers of the USAR and their families are 
making the sacrifices necessary to serve their country.
  Each year, the Army Reserve deploys approximately 20,000 soldiers to 
50 countries worldwide on a variety of missions. In Bosnia alone, the 
Army Reserve has contributed almost 15,000 citizen-soldiers, 
representing more than 70% of the Army's reserve component 
mobilization.
  Mr. President, I recently received a letter from Colonel Herbert N. 
Harmon (USMCR), National President of the Reserve Officers Association, 
who suggested that I introduce this resolution.
  I am honored to do so.
  Mr. President, it is appropriate that Senator Thurmond and the 
citizen-soldiers of the USAR be honored on the occasion of the Army 
Reserves 90th Anniversary on April 23, 1998. For, in many ways, Senator 
Thurmond's service as a reservist is the story of the consummate 
citizen-soldier.
  His remarkable record of service as a reservist began in 1924 when he 
received a commission as a Second Lieutenant in the Infantry. By the 
time he transferred to the Retired Reserve in 1965, Senator Thurmond 
had risen to the rank of Major General, the highest rank available to a 
Reserve Officer.
  Then First Lieutenant Thurmond volunteered the day war was declared 
against Germany even though his position as a South Carolina Circuit 
Judge exempted him from service in World War II. He received a 
commission in the active Army, became a member of the First U.S. Army 
and was attached to the 82nd Airborne Division for the Normandy 
invasion. It was during that action that he sustained an injury for 
which he was awarded a Purple Heart.
  While serving in Europe, Senator Thurmond served in all battles of 
the First Army, which fought through France, Belgium, Holland, 
Luxembourg, Czechoslovakia, and Germany. In addition to the Purple 
Heart, he received numerous other awards and commendations for his 
heroism and valor, including the Legion of Merit, the Bronze Star Medal 
with V device and the Army Commendation Ribbon just to cite a few.
  Mr. President, it would be difficult to overstate Senator Thurmond's 
contribution to the security of our country and our gratitude for his 
exceptional service. Suffice it to say that he is, perhaps, the single 
most qualified person ever to serve as the Chairman of the Senate Armed 
Services Committee and that I am honored to have had the privilege of 
serving with him for these past 25 years.
  I am also grateful for the service and the sacrifices of the soldiers 
who willingly serve in, and the families who support, the Army Reserve. 
Their dedication, commitment, and accomplishments are properly noted on 
this occasion.
  Mr. President, I urge Senators to support this resolution and to join 
me in honoring Senator Thurmond and the soldiers of the United States 
Army Reserve. It's the right thing to do and I am confident that 
Senators will agree.
  I ask that the letter from Col. Herbert N. Harmon be printed in the 
Record.
  The letter follows:


[[Page S3466]]




                                  Reserve Officers Association

                                         of the United States,

                                   Washington, DC, April 14, 1998.
     Hon. Jesse Helms,
     U.S. Senate,
     Washington, DC.
       Dear Senator Helms: On April 23, the United States Army 
     Reserve will observe the 90th anniversary of its founding as 
     the first federal Reserve force established by the Congress. 
     During those 90 years the Army Reserve has served proudly and 
     effectively as a full partner in our nation's Army. Indeed, 
     today it is no exaggeration to say that the Army cannot 
     conduct any sustained operation without the support of the 
     Army Reserve. It is appropriate that the contributions of our 
     Army Reserve be recognized on this occasion.
       Enclosed is a draft resolution that congratulates the Army 
     Reserve on its 90th birthday; commends the citizen-soldiers 
     of the USAR for their service and sacrifice; and recognizes 
     Senator Strom Thurmond, President Pro Tempore of the Senate, 
     and former national president of this association, who served 
     with distinction for 36 years in the Army Reserve, rising to 
     the rank of major general. We ask that you introduce this 
     resolution honoring the Army Reserve and Senator Thurmond.
       We thank you for your support of our men and women in 
     uniform and for your support of this resolution honoring the 
     Army Reserve and Senator Thurmond. If we may be of assistance 
     to you in this matter, please let us know.
           Sincerely,

                                            Herbert N. Harmon,

                                                   Colonel, USMCR,
                                       National President.

  Mr. COVERDELL. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the 
resolution be agreed to; the preamble be agreed to, and the motion to 
reconsider be laid upon the table.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The resolution (S. Res. 213) was agreed to.
  The preamble was agreed to.
  The resolution, with its preamble, is as follows:

                              S. Res. 213

       Whereas the United States Army Reserve was created by 
     statute on April 23, 1908;
       Whereas the United States Army Reserve was the first of the 
     Federal reserve forces created by Congress;
       Whereas the United States Army Reserve has played a major 
     role in the defense of this country for 90 years;
       Whereas many notable Americans have served with distinction 
     in the United States Army Reserve, including Presidents Harry 
     S Truman and Ronald W. Reagan, the current Chairman of the 
     Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Henry H. Shelton, Brigadier 
     General Theodore Roosevelt, Jr., Major General William J. 
     Donovan (Director of the Office of Strategic Services during 
     World War II), Drs. Charles H. Mayo and William J. Mayo, and 
     Captain Eddie Rickenbacker;
       Whereas the President Pro Tempore of the Senate, Strom 
     Thurmond, who received the Purple Heart for injuries received 
     while participating in the Normandy invasion with the 82d 
     Airborne Division on D-Day, served with distinction in the 
     United States Army Reserve for 36 years, rising to the rank 
     of Major General;
       Whereas the United States Army Reserve contributed more 
     than 160,000 soldiers to the United States Army during World 
     War I;
       Whereas the United States Army Reserve was recognized by 
     General George C. Marshall for its unique and invaluable 
     contributions to the national defense during World War II;
       Whereas more than 240,000 soldiers from the United States 
     Army Reserve were called to active duty during the Korean 
     War;
       Whereas 35 units of the United States Army Reserve were 
     sent to Vietnam, where they served honorably and well;
       Whereas the United States Army Reserve contributed more 
     than 90,000 soldiers to Operations Desert Storm and Desert 
     Shield in 1990 and 1991;
       Whereas the United States Army Reserve has contributed more 
     than 70 percent of the reserve soldiers mobilized in support 
     of Operation Joint Endeavor/Joint Guard in Bosnia;
       Whereas the United States Army Reserve constitutes a very 
     high percentage of the mission essential combat support and 
     combat service support forces of the Army;
       Whereas the Army cannot go to war without the 1,100,000 
     trained Ready Reserve and Retired Reserve personnel of the 
     United States Army Reserve;
       Whereas the United States Army Reserve is a community-based 
     force with over 1,200 facilities in communities across the 
     United States; and
       Whereas the United States Army Reserve has made these 
     contributions to the security of our country in return for a 
     very small percentage of the Army budget: Now, therefore, be 
     it
       Resolved, That the Senate--
       (1) congratulates the United States Army Reserve on the 
     occasion of the 90th anniversary of its establishment on 
     April 23, 1998;
       (2) recognizes and commends the United States Army Reserve 
     for the selfless and dedicated service of its past and 
     present citizen-soldiers who have preserved the freedom and 
     national security of the United States; and
       (3) recognizes Strom Thurmond, the President Pro Tempore of 
     the Senate, for 36 years of service with distinction in the 
     United States Army Reserve.

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