History of ROA

The Reserve Officers Association of the United States (ROA) was founded during the difficult years following the end of World War I. Complacency and a new wave of isolationism were sweeping across the American political landscape. The founders of the ROA believed America was vulnerable to return to its pre-war unpreparedness.

It was during these times that several hundred officers, many of them combat veterans of World War I, first gathered with General of the Armies, John J. "Black Jack" Pershing at the Willard Hotel in Washington, D.C., on October 2, 1922 formally established ROA as an organization.

As political eras have changed over the past 80 years, ROA has remained committed to its original mission, "...support and promote the development and execution of a military policy for the United States that will provide adequate National Security."

In the period between the World Wars, when isolationism and disarmament concepts weakened the military strength of the nation, ROA was a prominent voice in the cause of preparedness. Early in this period, the right of the Reservist, as of any other citizen, to appear before Congress in support of appropriations and matters affecting the national defense was established. Also during this time, Reserve programs, which were to prove invaluable in the mobilization period of 1941 and 1942, became established on the foundations laid by the citizen-soldiers who had served in World War I.

During World War II, the Association became inactive "for the duration," as its members went off to war. ROA was reactivated in 1946 and in 1948, Reserve Officers of the Naval Services (RONS) merged with ROA. The Marine Corps and Coast Guard came in about the same time. When law created a separate Department of the Air Force, for the first time the nation had, in ROA, a Reserve association embracing all the Services.

Public Law 595 of the 81st Congress, second session, was "An Act to Incorporate the Reserve Officers Association of the United States." This act established the objective of ROA: "...support and promote the development and execution of a military policy for the United States that will provide adequate National Security." President Harry S Truman, one of the early members of ROA, signed the charter on June 30, 1950.

ROA is organized into 55 departments, one in each of the 50 states, plus departments in Latin America, the District of Columbia, Europe, the Far East and Puerto Rico. Each department is further divided into regional chapters. There are more than 550 chapters worldwide.

Legislative policies and election of national officers are handled at a national convention, held annually in Washington, DC. Each department sends delegates to the convention in proportion to the number of members in the department.

The business of the Association is handled through its national headquarters, maintained in the Minute Man Memorial Building in Washington, D.C. This building, dedicated to the citizen-soldiers, -sailors, -Marines, -airmen and -Coast Guardsmen who have given their lives for their country, and to those ready to serve when needed, stands out prominently on Capitol Hill, directly across the street from the United States Capitol itself. Nearby are congressional office buildings, the Supreme Court of the United States and the Library of Congress. ROA occupied the building as its new national headquarters just prior to its formal dedication on George Washington's Birthday, February 22, 1968.