Photo By Sgt. 1st Class Edgar Valdez | U.S. Army Reserve Soldiers compete in a tug-of-war competition at North Fort Hood, Texas, on April 23, 2026. The competition was held to celebrate the U.S. Army Reserve's 118th birthday, and promote esprit de corps, for the units currently mobilized to Fort Hood in support of readiness efforts for deploying forces.
(U.S. Army Reserve photo by Sgt. 1st Class Edgar Valdez) see less
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Army Reserve Soldiers celebrate 118 years of service
FORT HOOD, Texas – The U.S. Army Reserve celebrated its 118th birthday on April 23, 2026.
U.S. Army Reserve Soldiers assigned to the 1-347th Training Support Battalion, the 2-381st TSBN, 1-340th TSBN, 1-363rd TSBN, 2-360th TSBN, and the 2-382nd Logistic Support Battalion, all mobilized to Fort Hood, Texas, coordinated a day-long celebration honoring more than a century of service.
The Soldiers began the birthday celebration with a 1.18-mile run, followed by a tug-of-war, to promote esprit de corps, for the mobilized units there ensuring the readiness of deploying forces.
As part of the celebration, Lt. Col. Kemetta G. Burdette, 1-347th TSBN commander; Command Sgt. Maj. Eduardo Amesquita, 1-347th TSBN command sergeant major; Maj. Heath Scott, 120th Infantry Brigade executive officer; and Command Sgt. Maj. Nicolas Valade, 2-381st TSBN command sergeant major, put on their Army Green Service Uniform and served lunch to Soldiers at the North Fort Hood Dining Facility.
"We have many events today to celebrate the Army Reserve's 118th birthday," said Burdette. "The Army Reserve is vital to our nation's security, and our intent today is to celebrate it and honor those who have served in it.”
Since 1908, more than 1.3 million Warrior Citizens have answered the call. They have deployed to every major conflict, responded to disasters on the home front, and assisted wherever the Army needed them.
U.S. Army Reserve Soldiers are a core part of the Total Army. They train alongside active-duty Soldiers, deploy when the nation calls, and provide capabilities that the U.S. Army relies on every day.
Whether providing medical, logistics, or engineering support, U.S. Army Reserve Soldiers maintain the capabilities required for major combat operations while training an average of 39 days each year.The Army Reserve delivers combat-ready Soldiers, as needed, to support the Army, the joint force, and the Nation.
"The Army Reserve is probably one of the best things going on," said Burdette. "Being able to serve the nation while still having a career in the civilian sector is one of the benefits I get from being in the Army Reserve.”
Burdette added that she began her career in the regular Army and did not know much about the U.S. Army Reserve, the sacrifices Citizen-Soldiers make every day, or the effort they put into balancing their civilian and military roles.
The Soldiers concluded the celebration with a cake-cutting ceremony that was held at the North Fort Hood chapel. During this portion of the celebratory day, Col. Pedro Tajalle, Director, U.S. Army Reserve Affairs, III Armored Corps, led a leader professional development session. There, he reiterated the U.S. Army Reserve's role in supporting the active-duty Army, the importance of building partnerships among the Army’s three components and the need to maximize government resources to build a U.S. Army Reserve that is trained, integrated, and always ready.
First Sgt. Dan O’Rourke, retired; Staff Sgt. Willie Robinson, retired; and Sgt. Paul Buckley, retired; were honored for their exemplary service to the U.S. Army Reserve. Additionally, seven recruits were sworn into the U.S. Army Reserve before the cake was cut.
Warrior Citizens stand ready to answer the Nation’s call to duty. They are teachers, nurses, engineers, and cybersecurity professionals, among other professions, but most importantly, they are U.S. Army Reserve Soldiers. And on this day, they stood to recognize the past 118 years and continued service to the Nation.
