ROA's Advocacy Story
1935: Thomason Act
ROA-supported Thomason Act provides for annual addition of 1,000 ROTC-trained Army officers.
1950: ROA Charter
The 81st Congress granted ROA a Congressional charter on June 30, 1950, under Public Law 595.
1952: Armed Forces Reserve Act Signed
Armed Forces Reserve Act, the “Magna Carta for Reservists,” signed by President Truman.
1967: Reserve Forces Bill of Rights & Vitalization Act
Wins passage of Reserve Forces Bill of Rights and Vitalization Act, establishing the Selected Reserve, assistant secretaries of reserve affairs, and reserve service chiefs.
1972: Coast Guard Reserve Avoids Elimination
ROA instrumental in saving the Coast Guard Reserve from elimination.
1977: Navy Training & Administration of the Reserve Program Saved
ROA advocacy with HASC kills DoD’s effort to phase out the Navy’s Training and Administration of the Reserve (TAR) program.
Late 1970s: Defeat of Navy Reserve Cuts
ROA leads the fight that defeats DoD’s sustained efforts to cut the Navy Reserve by up to 50 percent, essentially saving the Navy Reserve as a command.
1983: Creation of the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Reserve Affairs
Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Reserve Affairs created with ROA leading the advocacy campaign.
1992–1993: Joint Staff Reserve/Guard Flag Officer & Separate Army Reserve Command
Leads effort requiring a Reserve or Guard flag officer on the Joint Staff as advisor to the Chairman, and establishes separate Army Reserve Command.
1996: Army, Navy, Marine Corps & Air Force Reserve Commands
Leads the way on establishment of separate reserve commands for Army, Navy, Marine Corps, and Air Force.
1997: Extended Active Duty Medical & Dental Coverage
Wins legislation providing medical and dental coverage to Reservists and family members while the member is on extended active duty.
1998: NOAA Commissioned Corps
Spearheads successful effort to save the NOAA Commissioned Corps.
1999: Three-Star RC Chiefs
Wins three-star rank for RC chiefs.
2006: TRICARE Reserve Select for Drilling Reservists
Opens up TRICARE Reserve Select to all drilling Reservists.
2018: A-10 Save & Warthog Funding Increase
ROA defeats USAF plans to scrap the A-10 to fund “fast movers” and wins increased funding for Warthog upkeep.
2020: USPHS Ready Reserve Passage
Wins passage of USPHS Ready Reserve into law.
2022: RC Member DD-214-1
At ROA’s sustained urging, DoD approves DD-214-1 for RC service.
2022: PACT Act Passage
2022: ROA is sole MSO participating in the battlefield toxicity (burn pits) PACT Act 24/7 Capitol Steps vigil, winning passage into law on August 2, 2022.
2023-2024: TRICARE Reserve Select Expansion
Extended TRICARE Reserve Select coverage for RC survivors from six months to three years.
2023-2024: Parental Leave Parity
Secured parental leave parity across all branches of the Armed Forces, including the U.S. Coast Guard Reserve.
2023-2024: General & Flag Officer Promotions
Influenced the promotion of more than 400 general and flag officers across the services.
2023-2024: RC Nurse Accession Bonus
Doubled the accession bonus for reserve component nurses to address critical workforce shortages.
2023-2024: CV-22 Osprey Grounding
Advocated for the grounding of the CV-22 Osprey following fatal crashes, prioritizing safety improvements.
2023-2024: HMMWV Modernization
Secured $50 million in funding for Army Reserve HMMWV modernization.
2025-2026: RC Equipment Modernization Funding
Secures $2.2 billion in modernization funding for the reserve components, including $500 million for U.S. Navy Reserve C-130J procurement, $900 million for the Air National Guard, and $800 million for the National Guard and Reserve Equipment Appropriation.
2025-2026: Stopping 442nd Fighter Wing Divestment
Saves the 442nd Fighter Wing from termination by defeating Air Force divestment plans.
2025-2026: More Flexible TAP Requirements for RC Members
Authored and testified on NDAA provision allowing RC members to waive certain TAP requirements, improving flexibility for service-specific transition pathways.
2025-2026: NDAA Aviation Incentive Pay Certification Language
Built a coalition to ensure RC aviation incentive pay certification language was included in the NDAA.
2025-2026: Navy Reserve Center Elimination Defeat
Defeated last-minute proposal to disestablish the entire Navy Reserve Center.
2025-2026: Advocacy to End Government Shutdown
Led efforts for RC members to end the longest government shutdown in history.
