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Reserves Celebrate 93 Years of Service and Dedication

Navy NewsStand

Story Number: NNS080303-13
Release Date: 3/3/2008 2:07:00 PM

By Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Jose Lopez, Jr., Naval Reserve Fleet Public Affairs Center, San Diego

SAN DIEGO (NNS) -- The U.S. Navy Reserve Force (NRF) celebrated 93 years of citizen Sailors supporting the fleet on March 3.

Though Congress passed legislation that officially created the NRF in 1915, its roots can be traced back to the Revolutionary War, when citizens captured the British armed schooner Margaretta on June 12, 1775, off the coast of Machias, Maine. This would be the first of many actions taken by local naval militias that would forge the heritage culminating in the modern Navy Reserve.

"Throughout their history, Navy reservists have contributed significantly to our national defense and all major conflicts," said Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Gary Roughead, in a Navy message commemorating the anniversary of the Reserves. "Since Sept. 11, 2001, more than 50,000 augmentation requirements have been filled by reserve Sailors in support of combatant commands."

Hundreds of years before the terrorist attacks on the Pentagon and the twin towers, citizen Sailors participated in naval conflicts against the British, in Mexico and on U.S. soil. At the conclusion of the Civil War, Capt. Alfred Thayer Mahan published "The Influence of Sea Power Upon History," which called for the modernization of the fleet and the establishment of a reserve force. Mahan's theories were put to the test during the Spanish-American War, when the U.S. destroyed Spain's aging armada. A reserve force was called to patrol the coasts in case of an attempted Spanish invasion.

Many answered the call to arms, as Navy Reservists continue to do today to support the sea service's Maritime Strategy, which calls for rapid adaptability in an ever-changing environment. The strategy has Reservists serving aboard ships, ashore, and with U.S. Army and Marine combat forces on the ground.

Local and regional Navy Operational Support Centers (NOSC) provide training and administrative support to local Reservists and their commands to smoothly integrate them alongside their active duty counterparts when they are called to serve.

"We enable our Reserve sailors to get out to the fleet and support the fleet," said Capt. Ken Ireland, commanding officer NOSC, San Diego. "Depending on what the active component of Fleet Forces Command and others desire for their Reservists to perform, I've got Sailors working all spectrums of naval warfare, from flying aircraft, health units, to intelligence specialists supporting the war on terrorism."

For 93 years, the Reserves have been called to duty and have responded with professionalism.

"With their continued readiness, response posture and relevant capabilities," said Roughead. "Reserve component Sailors are more aligned and integrated with the fleet than ever before and enable us to accomplish our mission."

For more news from Commander, Naval Reserve Force, visit www.navy.mil/local/nrf/.