Chief of the United States Army Reserve

The chief of the United States Army Reserve (CAR)[1] is the commanding officer of the United States Army Reserve, the reserve component of the United States Army. As the highest-ranking officer in the United States Army Reserve, the CAR[2] is the principal advisor to the chief of staff of the Army on all matters relating to the Army Reserve, and is responsible for the personnel, operations and construction budgets of the Army Reserve, subject to the supervision and control of the secretary of the Army.[3] Dual-hatted as Commanding General, United States Army Reserve Command, the CAR is also responsible to the Commanding General, United States Army Forces Command for the oversight of operationally-deployed Army Reserve forces.[4]

Chief of the United States Army Reserve
Seal of the U.S. Army Reserve
Flag of the U.S. Army Reserve
since 1 August 2024
Office of the Chief of Army Reserve
Army Staff
TypeReserve component commander
AbbreviationCAR
Member ofReserve Forces Policy Board
Reports toSecretary of the Army (as Chief of Army Reserve)
Chief of Staff of the United States Army (as Chief of Army Reserve)
Commanding General, United States Army Forces Command (as Commanding General, U.S. Army Reserve Command)
SeatOffice of the Chief of Army Reserve, Fort Liberty, North Carolina
AppointerThe President
with Senate advice and consent
Term length4 years
Renewable
Constituting instrument10 U.S.C. § 7038
Formation12 June 1923
First holderMAJ Charles F. Thompson (as Chief of Reserve Section, G-2)
MG Frederick M. Warren (as Chief of Army Reserve)
DeputyDeputy Chief of Army Reserve
Websitewww.usar.army.mil

By statute, the CAR is a member of the Army Staff,[5] as well as one of five Army Reserve members of the Reserve Forces Policy Board.[6] The CAR is also designated by statute as the executive agent for the Full Time Support Program, a personnel program under the Department of Defense. The Chief's headquarters is the Office of the Chief of Army Reserve, housed at Fort Liberty, North Carolina.

The 34th chief of the Army Reserve is Lieutenant General Robert Harter.

Appointment and rank

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Jody J. Daniels is sworn in as the Chief of Army Reserve on 28 July 2020.

As an officer's appointment in the United States Armed Forces, the nominee requires confirmation by the United States Senate by majority vote. The chief of Army Reserve is nominated for appointment by the president of the United States with the advice and/or recommendation of the secretary of defense and secretary of the Army, as well as a determination from the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff that the nominee has had significant joint duty experience.[3]

Until 1968, the office of the chief of the Army Reserve was not set by statute due to concerns that institutionalizing a commander of Army reserve forces would separate it from the Regular Army, much like how the Militia Act of 1903 had rendered the early National Guard independent from the Regular Army.[7] On 17 May 1968, Major General William J. Sutton was confirmed by the Senate in accordance with the passage of Pub. L. 90–168, thus making Sutton the first statutory Chief of Army Reserve.[8]

The CAR's rank was initially that of major in 1923, and was successively raised to colonel in 1924, to brigadier general in 1933 (making Charles D. Herron the first CAR to hold general officer rank), and to major general in 1950. The CAR's rank, alongside those of reserve leaders of other service branches, was raised to lieutenant general in the National Defense Authorization Act of 2001, making Thomas J. Plewes, then chief of Army Reserve, the first to hold three-star rank.[9] The statutory requirement for the CAR to hold the rank of lieutenant general was repealed in the 2017 NDAA, but the officeholder is still appointed to that rank.[10]

The CAR serves for a four-year term, which can be renewed once for a total of eight years.[3]

List of officeholders

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No. Chief[11] Term
Portrait Name Took office Left office Term length
Chief of the Reserve Section, G-2
1Thompson, Charles F.Major
Charles F. Thompson
(1882–1954)
12 June 19231 July 192319 days
2Boswell, Walter O.Major
Walter O. Boswell
(1877–1953)
2 July 192331 July 19241 year, 29 days
Chief of the Reserve Branch, G-2
3Potts, DouglasColonel
Douglas Potts
(1878–1940)
1 August 192430 December 19251 year, 151 days
4Pegram, John CargillLieutenant Colonel
John C. Pegram
(1881–1972)
31 December 192514 August 1926226 days
5Ryons, Frederick ButterfieldLieutenant Colonel
Frederick B. Ryons
(1877–1946)
15 August 192630 September 192646 days
6Ford, Stanley HamerColonel
Stanley H. Ford
(1877–1961)
1 October 192610 February 1927132 days
Executive for Reserve Affairs
7Stone, David Lamme Jr.Colonel
David L. Stone Jr.
(1876–1959)
5 March 192730 June 19303 years, 117 days
8Herron, Charles DouglasBrigadier General
Charles D. Herron
(1877–1977)
1 July 193030 June 19354 years, 364 days
9Hartshorn, Edwin Simpson Jr.Brigadier General
Edwin S. Hartshorn Sr.
(1874–1963)
1 July 193515 September 19383 years, 76 days
10Thompson, Charles F.Brigadier General
Charles F. Thompson
(1882–1954)
16 September 19389 June 19401 year, 267 days
11Hester, John HutchisonBrigadier General
John H. Hester
(1886–1976)
21 June 194023 March 1941275 days
Executive for Reserve and ROTC Affairs
-Lowe, Frank E.Colonel
Frank E. Lowe
(1885–1968)
Acting
24 March 19414 June 194172 days
12Lowe, Frank EdwardBrigadier General
Frank E. Lowe
(1885–1968)
5 June 194110 August 19421 year, 66 days
13Smith, Edward WhiteBrigadier General
Edward W. Smith
(1894–1966)
16 September 194214 October 19453 years, 28 days
14Bres, Edward S.Brigadier General
Edward S. Bres
(1888–1967)
15 October 194530 November 19472 years, 46 days
15Westover, WendellBrigadier General
Wendell Westover
(1895–1960)
1 December 194714 November 19491 year, 348 days
16Cress, James BellMajor General
James B. Cress
(1889–1967)
1 January 195031 January 19511 year, 30 days
17Milton, Hugh Meglone IIIMajor General
Hugh M. Milton II
(1897–1987)
24 February 195118 November 19532 years, 267 days
18Lindeman, Philip Ferdinand Jr.Major General
Philip F. Lindeman Jr.
(1909–1988)
November 19536 December 19541 year, 17 days
Chief, Army Reserve and ROTC Affairs
18Lindeman, Philip Ferdinand Jr.Major General
Philip F. Lindeman Jr.
(1909–1988)
7 December 195431 July 19572 years, 236 days
19Palladino, Ralph A.Major General
Ralph A. Palladino
(1904–1981)
1 August 195731 May 19591 year, 303 days
20Warren, Frederick M.Major General
Frederick M. Warren
(1903–1986)
1 September 195912 February 19633 years, 164 days
Chief, Army Reserve
20Warren, Frederick M.Major General
Frederick M. Warren
(1903–1986)
13 February 196331 August 1963199 days
21Sutton, William J.Major General
William J. Sutton
(1908–1972)
1 September 196331 May 19717 years, 272 days
22Roberts, James Milnor Jr.Major General
J. Milnor Roberts Jr.
(1918–2009)
1 June 197131 May 19753 years, 364 days
23Mohr, HenryMajor General
Henry Mohr
(1919–1997)
1 June 197531 May 19793 years, 364 days
24Berkman, William R.Major General
William R. Berkman
(1929–2014)
1 June 197931 July 19867 years, 60 days
-Mott, Harry James IIIBrigadier General
Harry J. Mott III
(1929–2023)
Acting
1 August 198630 November 1986121 days
25Ward, William Francis Jr.Major General
William F. Ward Jr.
(1928–2018)
1 December 19861 October 19903 years, 304 days
Chief, Army Reserve and Commanding General, U.S. Army Reserve Command
25Ward, William Francis Jr.Major General
William F. Ward Jr.
(1928–2018)
1 October 199031 July 1991303 days
26Sandler, Roger WarrenMajor General
Roger W. Sandler
(born 1934)
1 August 199131 January 19942 years, 183 days
27Baratz, MaxMajor General
Max Baratz
(born 1934)
1 February 199424 May 19984 years, 112 days
28Plewes, Thomas JeffreyLieutenant General
Thomas J. Plewes
(born 1940)
25 May 199824 May 20023 years, 364 days
29Helmly, James RonaldLieutenant General
James R. Helmly
(born 1947)
25 May 200225 May 20064 years, 0 days
30Stultz, Jack C. Jr.Lieutenant General
Jack C. Stultz Jr.
(born 1952)
25 May 20069 June 20126 years, 15 days
31Talley, Jeffrey W.Lieutenant General
Jeffrey W. Talley
(born 1959)
9 June 20121 June 20164 years, 22 days
-Smith, Michael R.Major General
Michael R. Smith
Acting
1 June 201630 June 201629 days
32Luckey, Charles DanaLieutenant General
Charles D. Luckey
(born 1955)
30 June 20162 July 20204 years, 2 days
-O'Guinn, Michael C.Major General
Michael C. O'Guinn
Acting
3 July 202028 July 202025 days
33Daniels, Jody J.Lieutenant General
Jody J. Daniels
(born c. 1962)
28 July 202030 July 20244 years, 2 days
-Kotulich, DeborahMajor General
Deborah Kotulich
(born 1968)
Acting
30 July 20241 August 20242 days
34Harter, RobertLieutenant General
Robert Harter
(born c. 1970)
1 August 2024Incumbent103 days

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Appendix C - Military and Army Acronyms, Abbreviations and Terms" (PDF). University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Retrieved 8 January 2022.
  2. ^ This does not include the director of the Army National Guard, who also reports to the chief of the National Guard Bureau and secretary of the Army for Army National Guard matters.
  3. ^ a b c 10 U.S.C. § 7038 - Office of Army Reserve: appointment of Chief.
  4. ^ "WHO WE ARE-U.S. Army Reserve Command". U.S. Army Reserve Command.
  5. ^ 10 U.S.C. § 7031 - The Army Staff: function; composition.
  6. ^ 10 U.S.C. § 10302 - Army Reserve Forces Policy Committee.
  7. ^ "A History of the Office of Chief, Army Reserve" (PDF). Fort Bragg, NC: Office of the Chief of Army Reserve. April 2013. p. 14.
  8. ^ "A History of the Office of Chief, Army Reserve" (PDF). Fort Bragg, NC: Office of the Chief of Army Reserve. April 2013. p. 14.
  9. ^ National Defense Authorization Act, Fiscal Year 2001 (PDF) (506). 30 October 2000.
  10. ^ "National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2017" (PDF). Government Publishing Office.
  11. ^ Hilkert 2004, pp. 309–311.

Sources

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