Fleet Reserve Association

Last updated
Fleet Reserve Association
EstablishedNovember 11, 1924;99 years ago (1924-11-11)
Founded at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Type 501(c)(19), veterans organization
53-0067600
Headquarters125 N West Street, Alexandria, Virginia
Coordinates 38°28′57″N77°01′53″W / 38.4825°N 77.0315°W / 38.4825; -77.0315
Area served
Worldwide
John Handzuk (Belleair Beach, Florida)
National Executive Committee
Key people
PublicationFRAToday
Subsidiaries
Website www.fra.org

The Fleet Reserve Association (FRA) is a non-profit U.S. military and veterans organization headquartered in Alexandria, Virginia, chartered by the United States Congress that represents the interests of all members of the Navy, Coast Guard, and Marine veterans and active duty personnel in the United States.

Contents

FRA represents approximately; 277,428 active-duty members of the Navy, [1] 163,346 active-duty of the Marine Corps [2] and 40,000 active-duty of the Coast Guard [3] [4] The FRA was named after the US Navy retirement procedure "PERS 836". [5] The organization was founded in Philadelphia on October, 1922, by Chief Yeoman George L. Carlin, and it was chartered on November 11, 1924, by the U.S. Congress. [6] The association is composed of branches located in each State, U.S. territory, and several overseas locations.

The guiding principles of the FRA are Loyalty, Protection and Service. In addition to organizing events, members provide assistance at VA hospitals and clinics. It is active in issue-oriented U.S. politics. Its primary political activity is advocating on behalf of the Sea Service enlisted personnel, including support for benefits such as pay and pensions. The organization has also prompts "Americanism and Patriotism" through its essay contest. [7]

History

[8] 1919: Chief Yeoman Robert W. White and Chief Gunner’s Mate Carl H. McDonald are the first enlisted personnel to testify before Congress. They present the enlisted perspective on military pay legislation. [9]

1921: Chief Yeoman George Carlin conceives an association dedicated to monitoring all legislation that impacts enlisted personnel. Carlin is considered the father of the FRA.

1923: The Association’s Constitution and Bylaws Committee determined membership eligibility for the new organization. The document stated, “a shipmate is a shipmate, regardless of race, creed or color.”

Conceived as the U.S. Fleet Naval Reserve Association. The organization was chartered as Fleet Reserve Association under Title 36 of the United States Code. Officially chartered by the U.S. Congress. [6]

1925: FRA adopts its cardinal principles of “Loyalty, Protection and Service” as its official motto.

1925: The Association holds its first national convention in the place of its birth — Philadelphia.

Founded as an association for enlisted career Navy, FRA expanded its membership to Marine enlisted personnel in January 1956. The cover of the Naval Affairs published by The Fleet Reserve Association "For Career Navy and Marine Corps Enlisted Personnel. (Volume 35, No. 1 January 1958) By March 1957 the cover statesmen read "The Magazine for Career Enlisted Men of the U.S. Navy and U.S. Marines Corps." (Naval Affairs, March 1957) The next significant change was in October 1970 when the cover statement was updates to The Magazine for Career Enlisted Personnel of the U.S Navy, Marine Corps and Coast Guard. The elimination of the word "Men" was significant as it opened FRA membership to enlisted women of the sea services.

The June 1971 issue of Naval Affairs announced the New National Emblem which included the initials USN USMC and USCG. The emblem was designed by Shipmate Willis H. Wolfe.

The Fleet Reserve Association Headquarters is located in Alexandria, Virginia. It is the primary office for the National President, and also is the Administrative Headquarters which houses the FRA museum, library, membership services, communications, and the magazine editorial offices. [10]

Notable Members

Notable members of The Fleet Reserve Association have included:

Publications

The organization's official monthly full color magazine was originally launched in 1921 and called U.S. Navy Magazine "Fleet Reserve Bulletin". In October 1931 it was renamed Naval Affairs. [11] In November 2006 the magazine's name and volume numbering system changed again, this time to FRAtoday. [12] The publications typically is 48 pages of content.

Organization Structure

National

The Fleet Reserve Association Headquarters is located in Alexandria, VA. It is the primary office for the National President and also houses the FRA Museum, library, Membership Services, Communications, and the Magazine editorial offices. [13]

List of Past National Presidents

See also

Related Research Articles

A master chief petty officer is a senior non-commissioned officer in many navies and coast guards, usually above some grade of petty officer.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Command master chief petty officer</span> Enlisted rating

Command master chief petty officer (CMDCM) is an enlisted rating in the United States Navy and U.S. Coast Guard, as well as the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy</span> Senior enlisted member of the US Navy

The master chief petty officer of the Navy is a unique non-commissioned rank and position of office of the United States Navy, which is designated as a special paygrade above E-9. The holder of this position is the most senior enlisted member of the U.S. Navy, equivalent to the sergeant major of the Army, chief master sergeant of the Air Force, sergeant major of the Marine Corps, master chief petty officer of the Coast Guard, and chief master sergeant of the Space Force. The holder of this rank and position is the most senior enlisted sailor in the Navy, unless an enlisted sailor is serving as the senior enlisted advisor to the chairman. The current MCPON is James Honea.

Chief Warrant officer is a senior warrant officer rank, used in many countries.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Badges of the United States Navy</span> Military badges of the US Navy

Insignias and badges of the United States Navy are military badges issued by the United States Department of the Navy to naval service members who achieve certain qualifications and accomplishments while serving on both active and reserve duty in the United States Navy. Most naval aviation insignia are also permitted for wear on uniforms of the United States Marine Corps.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hospital corpsman</span> U.S. Navy enlisted medical specialist

A hospital corpsman (HM) or corpsman is an enlisted medical specialist of the United States Navy, who may also serve in a U.S. Marine Corps unit. The corresponding rating within the United States Coast Guard is health services technician (HS).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Naval aviator (United States)</span> Officer qualified as a manned aircraft pilot in the US Navy or US Marine Corps

A naval aviator is a commissioned officer or warrant officer qualified as a crewed aircraft pilot in the United States Navy or United States Marine Corps. United States Coast Guard crewed aircraft pilots are officially designated as "Coast Guard aviators", although they complete the same undergraduate flight training as Navy and Marine Corps crewed aircraft pilots, and are awarded the same aviation breast insignia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Warrant officer (United States)</span> Ranks in the U.S. Armed Forces

In the United States Armed Forces, the ranks of warrant officer and chief warrant officer are rated as officers above all non-commissioned officers, candidates, cadets, and midshipmen, but subordinate to the lowest officer grade of O‑1. This application differs from the Commonwealth of Nations and other militaries, where warrant officers are the most senior of the other ranks, equivalent to the U.S. Armed Forces grades of E‑8 and E‑9.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Religious program specialist</span> United States Navy rating

Religious Program Specialist (RP) is a designated rating within the United States Navy. As an essential member of Professional Naval Chaplaincy, RPs fulfill a crucial function in administering religious ministry within the Department of the Navy (DON). Together with chaplains, they form the Religious Ministry Team (RMT). In this capacity, RPs actively support the provision and facilitation of Religious Ministry, offering assistance and care to Navy and Marine Corps personnel, as well as their families, irrespective of their backgrounds and faith affiliations. Despite working in a religiously diverse environment, RPs are not mandated to hold religious beliefs nor perform pastoral counseling for the service members under their care. Due to the mobile nature of the units they may be assigned to, RPs can be stationed on Navy ships, at various Navy and Marine Corps commands, navy construction battalions, and other unique combatant units-rendering them globally deployable.

The United States Navy Senior Enlisted Academy provides education and training for senior and master chief petty officers. Most of the students are active-duty U.S. Navy personnel. The remaining students are from the Navy Reserve, Air Force, Army, Coast Guard, Marine Corps, and other nations' armed forces.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">United States Navy</span> Maritime warfare branch of the U.S. military

The United States Navy (USN) is the maritime service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. It is the world's most powerful navy and the largest by tonnage, at 4.5 million tons in 2021 and in 2009 an estimated battle fleet tonnage that exceeded the next 13 navies combined. It has the world's largest aircraft carrier fleet, with 11 in service, one undergoing trials, two new carriers under construction, and six other carriers planned as of 2024. With 336,978 personnel on active duty and 101,583 in the Ready Reserve, the U.S. Navy is the third largest of the United States military service branches in terms of personnel. It has 299 deployable combat vessels and about 4,012 operational aircraft as of July 18, 2023.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Yeoman (United States Navy)</span> U.S. Navy enlisted person who performs administrative and clerical work

The yeoman rate is one of the oldest rates in the U.S. Navy, dating back to 1794. Historically, the Navy yeomen were responsible for keeping the storerooms for the ship's gunners, carpenters and boatswains. With the transition from sail to steam, yeomen were assigned to the ship's engineers. In the modern Navy, a yeoman is an enlisted service member who performs administrative and clerical work.

The US Navy had four programs for the training of naval aviators.

Chief petty officer (CPO) is the seventh enlisted rank in the United States Navy and U.S. Coast Guard, is above petty officer first class and below senior chief petty officer. The term "rating" is used to identify enlisted job specialties. In this way, enlisted personnel are segregated into three segments containing different enlisted ranks. Furthermore, rates are broken down into three levels: non-rated members without a designated occupation. Advancement to E-4 and above is dependent on graduating from a specialty school that define what the enlisted is rated for. Petty officers and chief petty officers are part of the rated force and considered extremely knowledgeable about their particular rating. Examples include Culinary Services Chief and Aviation Maintenance Chief. The Chief Petty Officer is the rank. Gunners Mate is a rating. E7 is a pay grade. The term rating is used to identify the career field of a chief petty officer. For example, the title of a chief petty officer in the Master-at-Arms rating would be spoken or spelled out as Chief Master-at-Arms. The title would be abbreviated MAC. The grade of chief petty officer was established on 1 April 1893 in the United States Navy. The United States Congress first authorized the Coast Guard to use the promotion to Chief Petty Officer on 18 May 1920. Chief petty officer is also the final cadet grade in the United States Naval Sea Cadet Corps.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Officer (armed forces)</span> Person in a position of authority

An officer is a person who holds a position of authority as a member of an armed force or uniformed service.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Michael D. Stevens</span> 13th Master Chief Petty Officer of the US Navy

Michael D. Stevens is a United States Navy sailor who served as Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy (MCPON). He became the 13th MCPON on September 28, 2012, when he accepted the passing of the ceremonial cutlass from outgoing MCPON Rick D. West. He was succeeded by Steven S. Giordano on September 2, 2016.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Master-at-arms (United States Navy)</span> Military unit

The Master-at-Arms (MA) rating is responsible for law enforcement and force protection in the United States Navy—equivalent to the United States Army Military Police, the United States Marine Corps Military Police, the United States Air Force Security Forces, and the United States Coast Guard's Maritime Law Enforcement Specialist. It is one of the oldest ratings in the United States Navy, having been recognized since the inception of the U.S. Navy.

References

  1. ↑ "Navy stats". www.navy.mil. Retrieved 2020-12-12. Navy Stats
  2. ↑ "Assets report" (PDF). www.usmc-mccs.org. 2017. Retrieved 2020-12-12. USMC
  3. ↑ "USCG Stats" . Retrieved Feb 21, 2024.
  4. ↑ "36 USC Ch. 701: FLEET RESERVE ASSOCIATION". uscode.house.gov. Retrieved Feb 21, 2024.
  5. ↑ "Fleet Reserve/Retirement". www.public.navy.mil.
  6. 1 2 "[USC02] 36 USC Ch. 701: FLEET RESERVE ASSOCIATION". uscode.house.gov.
  7. ↑ "Essay Contest". www.fra.org.
  8. ↑ https://docs.house.gov/meetings/VR/VR00/20210318/111258/HHRG-117-VR00-Wstate-FultonM-20210318-U1.pdf [ bare URL PDF ]
  9. ↑ Congress, United States. "Congressional Record: Proceedings and Debates of the ... Congress". U.S. Government Printing Office – via Google Books.
  10. ↑ "iMIS - Welcome to the World of iMIS". www.fra.org.
  11. ↑ [Naval Affairs http://ufdc.ufl.edu/AA00052862/00001 Naval Affairs,] OCLC   4123895.OCLC Number: Master negative microfilm held by University Microfilms, now part of ProQuest.
  12. ↑ FRAToday, OCLC   80940360.
  13. ↑ Fleet Reserve Association: "Office Locations
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.