• Military Menu                       

• Introduction
• Systems
• Facilities
• Agencies
• Industry
• Operations
• Countries
• Hot Documents
• News
• Reports
• Policy
• Budget
• Congress
• Links

• WMD
• Intelligence
• Homeland Security
• Space

Naval Reserve Celebrates Birthday with an Eye on the Future

Navy Newsstand

Story Number: NNS040309-12

Release Date: 3/9/2004 11:48:00 AM

By Yeoman 2nd Class Darius Radzius, Naval Reserve Naval Media Center

WASHINGTON (NNS) -- This year may be the last birthday for the Naval Reserve as it is known today. That's the message heard by Naval Reservists, their families and friends as they converged on the U.S. Navy Memorial March 6 to celebrate 89 years of service.

While remembering past accomplishments, Vice Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Michael Mullen and Chief of Naval Reserve Vice Adm. John Cotton focused on the future, as the Naval Reserve undergoes a massive realignment toward integration with their active-duty counterparts to eventually become one Navy force.

The cultures between the active and the Reserve components grew apart in the 1980s, establishing clear differences between the two components. The differences between the two components, however, never solidified from theory into policy. "There's always been one Navy," Cotton reminded the audience. "Maybe we've forgotten and lost our way."

Recent conflicts have forced the Navy to change the diverging course of the two components. "(Operation) Desert Storm changed all of that, because it got a little busier for us with a little less stuff in the '90s, and Sept. 11 was a wake-up call for everyone," Cotton said.

Change can be a challenge for any organization, but active and Reserve Sailors are excited about their future together. Intelligence Specialist 1st Class Eric Zelaya always recognized one Navy during his eight years of service. "I've always looked at it as one service," Zelaya said. "I'm not a Naval Reservist. I am part of the United States Navy."

Cotton called on Naval Reservists to be ready to integrate with the naval force of the future. "You're going to be called. You're going to be used," he said.

Cotton made a call to the active-duty component, as well. "Take charge of our Reservists, find out what they can do, figure out what their civilian skills are, especially, and then leverage them," he said.