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The U.S. Army Reserve’s 7th Civil Support Command hosted a ceremony April 23 in the Kaiserslautern Military Community Center food court to recognize and celebrate the U.S. Army Reserve’s 106th birthday.
The event featured static displays, video projection screens, local recruiters and retention capability demonstrations by various 7th CSC units, remarks by the 7th CSC Commanding General Brig. Gen. Paul M. Benenati and a cake cutting ceremony.
The Army Reserve was initially created in 1908 as the Medical Reserve Corps, and in 2013 the 205,000 Army Reserve Soldiers provided more than 19,000 citizen-Soldiers to support missions around the globe.
“To me, the Army Reserve birthday means many years of successful service, and being here in Europe gives the Army Reserve Soldiers opportunities to help the local countries and to learn different cultures and difficulties in these different countries,” said Sgt. Crystal Bublikova, human resources NCO with the 361st Civil Affairs Brigade, 7th CSC. “In the long run, it is nice to look back and say, ‘I gave to my country and other countries.’”
Her fiance is a German national whom she met during her Kosovo deployment from 2010 to 2012. She was looking for an opportunity to continue serving after she moved to Germany to be with her fiance, and that is how she found the 7th Civil Support Command.
“You should look into joining the 7th CSC, because they are a great organization to work for,” Bublikova added.
The Army Reserve is designed as a complementary force to the active Army that provides combat service and combat service support at home and while deployed to any number of operations.
Post 9/11, the Army Reserve’s Soldiers and civilians evolved from a strategic Reserve to an operational Reserve.
“The Army Reserve for the past many years has transformed,” said Brig. Gen. Paul M. Benenati, commanding general of the 7th CSC, in a speech before cutting the Army Reserve birthday cake with the youngest and oldest Soldiers in the 7th CSC. “We (the 7th CSC) are responsible for all disaster response and all foreign consequence management here in Europe.”
The 2012 total force policy recognized the Army Reserve as an operational force and directed military branches to plan future operations utilizing Reserve component assets and capabilities.
“Unlike units in the states a lot of our Soldiers have lived here for a good portion of their lives,” said Maj. Tomasz Zaremba, operations officer with the 361st Civil Affairs Brigade, 7th CSC said. “This gives us an advantage and understanding of the operating environment here in Europe.”
Pvt. Samantha Schwarz, power generator mechanic with the Medical Support Unit, 7th CSC, spent her very first day with the 7th CSC at the USAR birthday celebration.
“I think it is great that they have all the different units come out and support the birthday,” Schwarz said. “It’s kind of cool to see everyone come out to support that.”
Her step-father is a retired Army chief warrant officer. His service inspired her to join the Army, she said.
“I am glad I joined the 7th CSC, because I can stay in school and be close to my family,” Schwarz said.
Schwarz is currently attending University of Maryland University College in Wiesbaden.
“At 106 years old it is safe to say that the Army Reserve has passed the test of time,” Zaremba said.
