The CSA Retired Soldier Council established by the CSA and chartered by HQDA with four objectives:

1. Provide the CSA  with advice and recommendations regarding vital issues and concerns of Retired Soldiers, surviving spouses, and their Families.
2. Provide the CSA with an assessment of how current Army programs and initiatives and proposals for new laws and policies may affect the retired community.
3. Strengthen communications between the RA, the ARNG/ARNGUS, the Army Reserve, and the retired community.
4. Encourage Retired Soldiers to remain active Soldiers for Life, who strive to help veterans find employment, inspire the next generation to join the military, and inspire Americans to trust and support the military.

• Provide the Chief of Staff, Army, Commanders, and State Adjutant Generals with advice and recommendations regarding vital issues and concerns of Retired Soldiers, surviving spouses, and their families.
• Provide the Chief of Staff, Army, Commanders, and State Adjutant Generals with an assessment of how current Army programs and initiatives and proposals for new laws and policies may affect the retired community.
• Strengthen communications between the Active Army, the Army National Guard, the U.S. Army Reserve, and the retired community.
• Encourage Retired Soldiers to remain active Soldiers for Life, who strive to help veterans find employment, inspire the next generation to join the military, and inspire Americans to trust and support the military.

11 February 1971 
GEN (Ret.) Bruce C. Clarke and BG (Ret.) Hallett D. Edson met with LTG Walter T. Kerwin, Jr., the U.S. Army Deputy Chief of Staff for Personnel, to express a desire that the Army should take more interest in the affairs of its retired personnel and to suggest that Army retiree councils be established.

29 September 1971
LTG Kerwin proposed that retiree councils be added to the Retirement Services Program.

10 November 1971
The Vice Chief of Staff of the Army, LTG Bruce Palmer, Jr., acting for the Chief of Staff of the Army (CSA), GEN William W. Westmoreland, approved the establishment of retiree councils.

5-9 June 1972
The first CSA Officer and Enlisted Councils, chaired by LTG (Ret.) Harry H. Critz and SGM (Ret.) Joe Bussey, met at Fort McNair. Each Council consisted of eight regular members and two alternates.

1977
CSA GEN Bernard W. Rogers approved increasing each Council to 11 members with the addition of a retired Army Reservist.

1972-1985
The CSA Councils met twice a year.

1985
CSA GEN John A. Wickham approved one meeting per year with a mid-year meeting with the Council Chairmen to review retiree issues. The Council membership was also increased to 24 with the addition of two U.S. Army Europe representatives.

1987
U.S. Army Pacific was authorized two representatives, but without an increase in the total number of members.

1989
The Councils met for the first time in the Pentagon. This move was to eliminate the expense of renting outside conference rooms and to facilitate access by Army Staff speakers.

1990
CSA GEN Carl E. Vuono approved combining the Officer and Enlisted Councils into one Council with co-chairmen and reduced the membership to 18. USAEUR and USARPAC were authorized one representative each.

1997
The membership of the Council was reduced to 14.

2011
CSA GEN George Casey approved adding a retired Army National Guardsman to the Council starting with the 2012 Annual Meeting. The Council’s membership remained at 14.

2015
Secretary of the Army John M. McHugh approved increasing the minimum number of female Soldiers required to two and changing the Council’s name to the Chief of Staff, Army Retired Soldier Council.

2020
Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, 13 of the 14 Council members attended the annual meeting from home using Microsoft Teams meeting software. The 14th, LTG (Ret.) David Halverson, hosted from the Pentagon, meeting three briefers in person and twelve via Teams.