The Reserves and the National Guard in the 21st Century 

Four United States Generals from the U.S. Army Reserves, the United States Marine Corps, The United States Marine Corps Reserves, and the Illinois Army National Guard, and a Colonel from the Illinois Army National Guard discuss the duties and importance of the Reserves and the National Guard in the 21st century. Sponsored by the Reserve Officers Association.

MAJOR GENERAL ANDREW B. DAVIS became the Executive Director of the Reserve Officers Association (ROA) of the United States on November 1, 2011. With more than 58,000 members, the Washington-based ROA is a congressionally chartered organization with a mission to promote the development and execution of a military policy for the U.S. that will provide adequate national security. General Davis retired from the Marine Corps in October 2008 after a 38-year military career, including tours in three wars.

COLONEL PAUL HASTINGS is a career Army National Guard officer currently serving as commander of the 33rd Infantry Brigade Combat Team, Illinois Army National Guard. He was commissioned in the Infantry through Army ROTC at Texas A&M University in 1983 and has served in the Army National Guard in Texas, Pennsylvania, and Illinois. He is also a career financial regulator for the FDIC, commissioned in bank examination, compliance, and liquidation.

MAJOR GENERAL WILLIAM D. RAZZ WAFF assumed the duties of Commanding General of the 99th Regional Support Command on October 1, 2010. Prior to his current duty assignment, Maj. Gen. Waff was the Deputy Commanding General of the U.S. Army Human Resources Command, with offices in Fort Knox, K.Y., Alexandria, VA., and St. Louis, MO.

SECRETARY DENNIS M. MCCARTHY is the former Assistant Secretary of Defense for Reserve Affairs, serving as the principal staff assistant to the Secretary of Defense on all matters.  A graduate of the University of Dayton and the Capital University Law School, Lieutenant General McCarthy began his military service in combat in Vietnam, and remained on active duty until 1978. He served as an infantry officer in the “traditional reserve,” and was recalled to active duty for Desert Shield/Desert Storm and on several subsequent occasions. He also served on the Secretary of Defense’s Reserve Forces Policy Board. In 1997, he commanded the Third Marine Division and was the only Reserve General Officer to command an active duty Marine Division. From 1984 until his retirement in 2005, he commanded eight different Marine Corps and Joint organizations for a total of 161 months. This included overall command of the Marine Corps Reserve as it undertook its largest mobilization in history.

MAJOR GENERAL WILLIAM L. ENYART is the 37th Adjutant General of the State of Illinois. He serves as a member of the Governor's Cabinet, and he is the Governor's principal adviser on military matters. As the Adjutant General, Enyart directs the Illinois Department of Military Affairs, and is the senior officer in the Chain-of-Command for both the Illinois Army and Air National Guard. He is responsible for the daily operations of the Illinois National Guard, and oversees its 13,500 men and women in uniform (1,750 of whom are full time). He also oversees the 300 civilian employees in the Department. As the head of the Department, he works closely with the leadership of the National Guard Bureau and the Departments of the Army and Air Force in Washington, D.C.