Since 1916, the Marine Corps Reserve has served as an indispensable component of our Nation’s combat power—mobilized in every major conflict from Belleau Wood to the streets of Fallujah. Today, that legacy continues with a force that is structured, scalable, and globally engaged.

On August 29, 1916, Congress passed the Naval Appropriations Act, officially establishing the United States Marine Corps Reserve. This year, we celebrate our 110th anniversary. For over a century, the Citizen-Marine has been a cornerstone of our national defense, stepping away from civilian lives, families, and careers to answer the nation’s call. Throughout our history, Reserve Marines have consistently answered the most fundamental question that defines our Corps: “Can people count on you?” They answered it at Belleau Wood, Iwo Jima, the Chosin Reservoir, Hue City, Fallujah, and Helmand Province.

As we mark this milestone, it is important to reflect on where we have been, but it is absolutely critical that we focus on where we are going. The Marine Corps Reserve is no longer just a “break glass in case of emergency” strategic fallback. We are a vital, deeply integrated operational force executing planned, predictable rotations across the globe. This evolution provides our Marines with a clear horizon for deployments and delivers a more ready, scalable, and lethal force to our Combatant Commanders. In fact, next year we will approach having ten percent of our force forward deployed, the most significant level we have seen since 2013, and the demand from the Joint Force continues to grow.

This increased operational tempo is made possible by the unique, asymmetric advantage we bring to the fight: our civilian acumen. The modern Reserve Marine is a dual-hatted professional. The same Marine operating as a cyber warfare specialist on a drill weekend is often a cybersecurity architect for a tech firm during the week. We see this immense value daily within our Civil Affairs teams, intelligence specialists, and advisor companies. They leverage their real-world experience to navigate complex networks, build regional partnerships, and solve problems with a breadth of expertise that simply cannot be replicated by military training alone.

The future of warfare is increasingly complex and driven by rapid technological change. To meet this reality, we are modernizing concurrently with the Active Component. There is no “Active Corps” and “Reserve Corps,” there is only the United States Marine Corps. We fight as one, and we must train and equip as one. Whether our formations are destined for the First Island Chain or supporting missions in domains like space and cyber, they must have the exact same next-generation systems as their active-duty counterparts. Furthermore, we are aggressively harnessing technology internally, utilizing an AI task force to better predict readiness and manage the immense talent within our ranks.

Having lived the life of a Reserve Marine for over two decades, I understand the unique pressures of balancing a civilian career, military duties, and family. Ensuring our dispersed force and their families have the support they need is not a secondary effort; it is a critical component of our readiness. Initiatives like the USMCR Connect app are helping bridge the gap, keeping our families informed and supported no matter where they live. But no matter how much technology advances, we must never lose our commitment to “Brilliance in the basics.” Success will always rely on well-led, highly disciplined Marines who trust the person to their left and right implicitly.

To the Marines and Sailors of the Reserve Component: Your dedication to balancing your lives to serve this nation is the very definition of character. You provide our Corps with a surge-ready, combat-credible capability at a fraction of the cost, proving that we are a force of consequence.

Happy 110th Birthday to the United States Marine Corps Reserve. Be proud of the legacy you have inherited and remain relentlessly focused on the future we are building together.