PUBLIC LAW 110–203—APR. 23, 2008 122 STAT. 701 

Public Law 110–203 

110th Congress 

Joint Resolution 

Congratulating the Army Reserve on its centennial, which will be formally celebrated 

on April 23, 2008, and commemorating the historic contributions of its veterans 

and continuing contributions of its soldiers to the vital national security interests 

and homeland defense missions of the United States. 

Whereas on January 9, 1905, the 26th President of the United 

States, Theodore Roosevelt, dispatched a ‘‘special message’’ to 

the Senate and the House of Representatives that ‘‘earnestly 

recommended passage’’ of legislation to establish a Federal 

reserve force of skilled and trained personnel to bring ‘‘our Army 

* * * to the highest point of efficiency’’; 

Whereas on December 14, 1905, the then-Secretary of War and 

later 27th President of the United States, William Howard Taft, 

transmitted to the Senate and the House of Representatives 

a draft bill and letter authored by Major General Leonard Wood, 

‘‘strongly commending * * * proposed legislation’’ to ‘‘increase 

the efficiency of the Medical Corps of the Army’’ by establishing 

a Federal reserve force comprised of specially trained personnel; 

Whereas in response to the recommendations of President Theodore 

Roosevelt and senior military and civilian leaders, the 60th Congress enacted Public Law 101, entitled ‘‘An Act to increase the 

efficiency of the Medical Department of the United States Army’’, 

ch. 150, 35 Stat. 66, which was signed into law on April 23, 

1908, by President Theodore Roosevelt; 

Whereas Public Law 101 authorized the establishment of the first 

Federal reserve force and the first reservoir of trained officers 

in a reserve status for a United States military service; 

Whereas Congress subsequently adapted, expanded, and amended 

the reserve organization of the Army to include additional military occupational specialties and capabilities and established the 

organization today known as the Army Reserve; 

Whereas the Army Reserve has played a major role in the defense 

of our Nation and in furtherance of United States interests for 

100 years; 

Whereas many distinguished Americans have served honorably and 

with distinction in the Army Reserve, including Presidents Harry 

S Truman and Ronald W. Reagan, the former 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; 

Apr. 23, 2008 

[H.J. Res. 70] 


dkrause on GSDDPC44 with PUBLIC LAWS
122 STAT. 702 PUBLIC LAW 110–203—APR. 23, 2008 

Whereas the Army Reserve contributed 169,500 soldiers to the 

Army during World War I; 

Whereas the Army Reserve contributed 200,000 soldiers and 29 

percent of the Army’s officers during World War II and was 

recognized by General George C. Marshall for its unique and 

invaluable contributions to the national defense; 

Whereas 240,500 soldiers of the Army Reserve were called to active 

duty during the Korean War; 

Whereas more than 60,000 Army Reserve soldiers were called to 

active duty during the Berlin Crisis; 

Whereas 35 Army Reserve units were activated and deployed in 

support of operations in Vietnam, where they served with distinction and honor; 

Whereas the Army Reserve contributed more than 94,000 soldiers 

in support of Operations Desert Storm and Desert Shield in 

1990 and 1991; 

Whereas the Army Reserve contributed more than 48 percent of 

the reserve component soldiers mobilized in support of Operation 

Joint Endeavor and Operation Joint Guard in Bosnia; 

Whereas since September 11, 2001, the Army Reserve has provided 

indispensable and sustained support for Operations Enduring 

Freedom, Noble Eagle, and Iraqi Freedom, with 98 percent of 

units either deployed or providing mobilized soldiers, and more 

than 147,000 individual soldiers being mobilized (of which more 

than 110,000 individual soldiers have deployed) in support of 

the Global War on Terrorism; 

Whereas more than 39,000 individual soldiers of the Army Reserve 

have served multiple deployments since September 11, 2001; 

Whereas 13,003 Army Reserve soldiers were forward-deployed in 

the Central Command Area of Responsibility on October 31, 2007, 

and 102 soldiers of the Army Reserve had borne the ultimate 

sacrifice in support of Operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi 

Freedom through October 31, 2007; 

Whereas the Army Reserve is organized into 3 components, the 

Ready Reserve, the Standby Reserve, and the Retired Reserve, 

which together contain more than 601,000 soldiers; 

Whereas the Army cannot go to war or sustain a military operation 

without the highly skilled and trained personnel of the Army 

Reserve; 

Whereas the Army Reserve provides more than 37 percent of the 

mission essential combat support and combat service support 

forces of the Army; 

Whereas 100 percent of the Army’s Internment Settlement Brigades, Judge Advocate General Units (Legal Support Organizations), Medical Groups, Railway Units, and Training and Exercise 

Divisions are in the Army Reserve; 

Whereas more than 66 percent of the Army’s Civil Affairs Units, 

Psychological Operations Units, Theater Signal Commands, 

Expeditionary Sustainment Commands, and Medical Capabilities 

are in the Army Reserve; 

Whereas the Army Reserve is no longer a force held in strategic 

reserve but today functions as an integral and essential operational reserve in support of the missions of the active Army; 


dkrause on GSDDPC44 with PUBLIC LAWS
PUBLIC LAW 110–203—APR. 23, 2008 122 STAT. 703 

Whereas the Army cannot go to war or sustain a military operation 

without the skilled and trained Ready Reserve and Retired 

Reserve soldiers of the Army Reserve; 

Whereas the Selected Reserve component of the Army Reserve 

is comprised of more than 30,000 officers and 150,000 enlisted 

soldiers who have volunteered their personal service in defense 

of the Constitution and their fellow citizens; 

Whereas the Army and the Army Reserve are recognized as institutions that have played historic and decisive roles in promoting 

the cause of individual dignity and the value of integration; 

Whereas nearly one in four Selected Reserve soldiers and more 

than one in five Individual Ready Reserve soldiers are women 

whose contributions are consistently characterized by a high 

degree of commitment, professionalism, and military bearing; 

Whereas the ability of individual soldiers and the Army Reserve 

to perform their wartime missions is contingent on the active 

engagement and support of their families, employers, and local 

communities; 

Whereas the Army Reserve is a community-based force with an 

active presence in 1,100 communities and 975 Army Reserve 

centers in operation throughout the United States; 

Whereas Sir Winston Churchill once remarked that ‘‘Reservists 

are twice the citizen’’, a sentiment that applies especially to 

the soldiers of the Army Reserve; and 

Whereas the Army Reserve makes these contributions to the security of our Nation in return for less than 5 percent of the Army’s 

total budget: Now, therefore, be it 

Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the

United States of America in Congress assembled, That the Congress— 

(1) congratulates the Army Reserve on the occasion of 

the 100th anniversary of the enactment of its original authorizing law; 

(2) recognizes and commends the Army Reserve for the 

selfless and dedicated service of its past and present citizensoldiers whose personal courage, contributions, and sacrifices 

have helped preserve the freedom and advance the national 

security and homeland defense of the United States; and 


dkrause on GSDDPC44 with PUBLIC LAWS
122 STAT. 704 PUBLIC LAW 110–203—APR. 23, 2008 

LEGISLATIVE HISTORY—H.J. Res. 70: 

CONGRESSIONAL RECORD, Vol. 154 (2008): 

Apr. 8, considered and passed House. 

Apr. 14, considered and passed Senate. 

Æ 

(3) extends its gratitude to the veterans, soldiers, families, 

and employers whose essential and constant support have 

enabled the Army Reserve to accomplish its vital missions 

and renews our Nation’s commitment in support of their noble 

efforts. 

Approved April 23, 2008. 


dkrause on GSDDPC44 with PUBLIC LAWS