Tony Thurmond: “it is with a great deal of professional pleasure and personal pride that I rise today to honor an organization in which…”

“it is with a great deal of professional pleasure and personal pride that I rise today to honor an organization in which I am a life member and served as the 21st national president nearly 50 years ago. The organization of which I speak is our neighbor across First Street, the Reserve Officers Association of the United States, though it is perhaps best known simply by its initials--ROA. The association was organized in 1922, at the instigation of General of the Armies John J. Pershing, who was then serving as the Army's Chief of Staff. Like many others who served in uniform in World War I, General Pershing was convinced that the war could have been significantly shortened or avoided altogether if an adequate pool of trained officers had existed at the time. Taking his sentiments to heart, 140 Reserve officers met at Washington's Willard Hotel and organized the Reserve Officers Association. It was largely through the dedicated efforts of this voluntary organization and its members that the United States established its Officer Reserve Corps, which was to supply the great majority of America's trained officers in the days leading up to World War II. It is appropriate for the Senate to note that these first ROA members were citizen-soldiers who clearly saw the approaching storm clouds.”