A Guardsman looks back on command of Joint Reserve Unit
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SCOTT AIR FORCE BASE, Ill. (USTCNS) --- As Brig. Gen. Robert P. Meyer, Ohio Air National Guard, ended his tenure as Commander of U.S. Transportation Command's Joint Transportation Reserve Unit in a ceremony on October 4, he looked back on an assignment marked by several "firsts".
One such first was simply being chosen for the position. "Prior to my being selected as commander of the JTRU," Meyer explained, "all previous commanders had been Navy Reserve Admirals."
When USTRANSCOM, which provides air, land, and sea transportation for the Department of Defense, both in time of peace and time of war, was activated in 1987, the primary reserve support came from the Naval Reserve.
So when the JTRU was stood up in 1991 to provide USTRANSCOM with the highly skilled personnel it needs from the reserve components of all the armed services, the largest component was a Naval Reserve unit. Having a Naval Reserve admiral as the JTRU commander seemed a logical choice.
Yet over the years, the unit changed and evolved as the other service elements grew.
"It was decided when the job [of JTRU commander] was advertised three years ago," Meyer said, "that since we are truly a joint unit, all reserve components should have the opportunity to compete for the position, and this included the National Guard."
And, in winning that competition, he became not only the first non-Naval Reserve commander of the JTRU, he also became the first National Guardsman in the JTRU.
And, while many of the JTRU's soldiers and airmen (as well as a few sailors and Coast Guardsmen), have previous service with the Army or Air National Guard, Meyer still holds the distinction of being the only active National Guardsman to have belonged to the JTRU.
"Being an Air National Guardsman in a unit of reservists has never presented problems," he made a point to say. Instead, he said he focused on the overwhelming similarities in experience which all reserve component service members share. "We are all 'reservists'" he said, "coping with the same problems of balancing our military service, our civilian jobs and our family lives."
For Meyer, the job of a commander doesn't change, no matter what type of unit or what component.
"In the big picture, there is no difference in my role as commander of an F-16 Fighter Wing, such as the 178th Tactical Fighter Wing, a KC-135 Tanker Wing, like the 121st Air Refueling Wing, or the JTRU," he said, "I am responsible for recruiting and training highly professional men and women to be able to support our active duty counterparts in times of peace and war."
"The unique challenge for a JTRU Commander," said Meyer, "is dealing with five different sets of regulations and procedures applying to each of the different services - Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Coast Guard and Air Force - that we have here at the unit."
However, the question remained; would he be the last JTRU National Guardsman? Are there plans for integrating National Guardsmen into the unit in the future?
"The leadership of the Army and Air National Guard has expressed a very favorable interest in adding Guardsmen to the JTRU," Meyer said, "as well as to other joint reserve units which are being created." He added, "The precedent has already been set with Army and Air National Guardsmen having been added to Joint Forces Command's Joint Reserve Unit."
Meyer, with over 38 years in the Ohio Air National Guard, has recently been selected for major general, and has been assigned to Headquarters, Ohio Air National Guard to await his promotion. He is succeeded as JTRU Commander by Air Force Reserve Maj. Gen. James P. Czekanski.
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