Reserve Officers Association
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Reserve Officers Association is a 75,000-member, professional association of officers, former officers, and spouses of all the uniformed services of the United States, primarily the Reserve and United States National Guard. It is a congressionally chartered Association that advises the Congress and the President on issues of national security on behalf of all members of the Reserve Component.
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[edit] Basic facts
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- The ROA was founded in 1922 in Washington, D.C. One of its key founders was General John J. Pershing.
- ROA membership is open to all federally recognized commissioned officers and warrant officers, and their spouses, from the United States Air Force, United States Army, United States Coast Guard, United States Navy, and United States Marine Corps, plus the United States Public Health Service and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
- The ROA holds a Congressional charter, established in public law as a corporation to support and promote military policies that will provide adequate national security.
- Several U.S. Presidents, including Harry S Truman, who signed ROA’s charter and was a former Army Reserve soldier, have been ROA members.
- The ROA’s national headquarters is the historic Minuteman Memorial Building in Washington, D.C., at First Street and Constitution Avenue, N.E. in the shadow of the U.S. Capitol Building.
- The ROA comprises 55 departments, one in each of the 50 States, plus Latin America, the District of Columbia, Europe, the Far East, and Puerto Rico. These departments include approximately 450 chapters worldwide.
- ROA members are major participants in the Interallied Confederation of Reserve Officers (CIOR), Interallied Confederation of Reserve Medical Officers (CIOMR), and Pan American Union of Reserve Officers of the Armed Forces (UPORFA), international organizations that hold annual events in Europe and South America. All national Reserve officer organizations of NATO have joined CIOR since its founding in 1948.
[edit] Legislative priorities
The ROA has a long history of strong and effective legislative activity and can claim many legislative victories on behalf of the nation’s warrior citizens, such as drill and retirement pay. Today’s legislative priorities, largely shaped by the requirements of the War on Terrorism, are:
- Fully funding the equipment and training requirements of the National Guard and Reserves.
- Providing adequate resources and authorities to support the current recruiting and retention requirements of the National Guard and Reserves.
Details of these legislative initiatives for serving and retired members of the Reserve and their families are at the website here.
[edit] Leadership
Each year delegates to the annual national convention elect new leaders to serve as principal officers and members of the National Executive Committee. The principal officers for 2007–2008 are:
- National President Col Paul R. Groskreutz, USAF (Ret.)
- Immediate Past President CAPT Michael P. Smith, USN (Ret.)
- Vice President, Army COL Robert C. Jackle, USA (Ret.)
- Vice President, Air Force Col Beth A. Mann, USAFR
- Vice President, Naval Services CAPT Morgan Little, USNR
Twenty-three other National Executive Committee members and National Officers are appointed by the president or elected by the membership.
Full-Time Staff Directors
- Executive Director LtGen Dennis M. McCarthy, USMC (Ret.)
- Deputy Executive Director MG David Bockel, AUS (Ret.)
- Director, Defense Strategic Education &
- Director, Army Affairs LTC Robert Feidler, USAR (Ret.)
- Director, Air Force Affairs LTC James Starr, USAFR (Ret.)
- Director, Naval Services &
- Director of Legislation CAPT Marshall Hanson, USNR, (Ret.
- Director of Member Services Col William Holahan, USMCR (Ret.
- Director of Communications Ms. Jennifer Hickey
- Director of Industry Affairs & Business Relations Ms. Lani Burnett
- Director, Web Development Mr. Kelly Matthews
- Editor, The Officer Mr. Eric Minton
[edit] Organizational meetings
The ROA holds two major organizational events each year: the Mid-Winter Conference featuring its annual Legislative Forum in Washington, D.C., and the National Convention held in different cities across the United States. The 2008 National Convention will be held in Atlanta, Georgia, from June 25-28.
