FRA is the leading voice of enlisted Sea Service personnel on Capitol Hill and has been since 1924.

A Congressionally chartered, non-profit organization that represents the interests of the Sea Service community before the U.S. Congress, the Association’s membership is comprised of current and former enlisted members of the U.S. Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard.  FRA was chartered as the Fleet Reserve Association in 1924 and, after more than 80 years, FRA remains dedicated to its primary mission of serving the interests of current and former enlisted Navy, Marine Corps and Coast Guard personnel. 

In addition to its legislative advocacy efforts, FRA assists its members with career problems by maintaining close liaison with the Departments of Defense, Veterans Affairs, Homeland Security, and other government agencies. FRA continues to educate members of Congress, many of whom have little or no military experience, on the challenges facing career personnel. 

FRA presents a strong, unified voice to ensure that enlisted issues are heard by Congress and urges support for legislation to increase pay and benefits. 

Setting forth on an uncharted sea, fewer than 100 shipmates assembled in Philadelphia in October 1922 to organize the Fleet Reserve Association (FRA). The group chose the name because its prospective membership would be largely drawn from the Fleet Naval Reserve component or those eligible for transfer to it. This was the first time in recorded naval history that career enlisted personnel were banding together for mutual loyalty, protection and service.

The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Inspector General (IG) released a critical report that contradicts VA claims that 95 percent of new patients seeking mental health services received full evaluations for care within the required 14 day period. According to the report, only 49 percent of these veterans were seen within 14 days, and the average wait time was 50 days. The Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee (SVAC) discussed the report during a hearing last week and SVAC Chairwoman Patty Murray (Wash.) called the findings deeply disturbing and directed the VA to revamp its scheduling system and get serious about hiring mental health professionals. For a copy of the IG report go to http://www.va.gov/oig/pubs/VAOIG-12-00900-168.pdf
 

As previously reported, the VA is adding approximately 1,600 mental health clinicians and nearly 300 support staff to its existing workforce to meet the growing needs of service members returning from Iraq and Afghanistan. Since 2007, VA has seen a 35 percent increase in the number of veterans receiving mental health services, and a 41 percent increase in mental health staff. Improved access to care for all veterans, including those who bear the invisible scars of service, is a top FRA priority and was referenced in recent congressional testimony before the House and Senate VA Committees.