FORT BRAGG, N.C. (June 12, 2012) -- Lt. Gen. Jeffrey W. Talley assumed command of the U.S. Army Reserve Command at a ceremony here, June 9, 2012.
With the passing of the command flag, Talley becomes the 32nd Chief, U.S. Army Reserve. He also is the seventh commanding general of the U.S. Army Reserve Command, which relocated to Fort Bragg from Fort McPherson, Ga., last year.
"Never in our nation's history has the Army Reserve been more indispensible to America's Army," Talley said. "For after a decade of war, the Army Reserve has evolved into a central part of the total force. With streamlined deployable forces and citizen-Soldiers the embody the warrior spirit."
"Our Army Reserve Soldiers and civilians are truly 'Twice the Citizen,'" he said.
Talley thanked senior Army leadership for choosing him to lead the Army Reserve.
"I promise I will not let you down -- you or America's Army or the nation," Talley said.
Talley brings more than 30 years of active and reserve service to his new position with command experience in the United States, Iraq, Kuwait, and South Korea. He also has extensive work in the civilian sector in civil and environmental engineering earning a doctorate from Carnegie Mellon University, and multiple master's degrees.
As the chief, Talley serves at the strategic level as the principal staff adviser to the Secretary of the Army and the Army Chief of Staff on all Army Reserve Affairs. As the commanding general, he serves at the operational level, commanding all Army Reserve troop program units worldwide, with a total end strength of 205,000 soldiers and more than 12,000 civilians.
Gen. Raymond T. Odierno, the Army's chief of staff, said the "Army Reserve has proven itself time and time again. These warriors have proved themselves as an integral component of our joint force."
He praised Lt. Gen. Jack C. Stultz, the outgoing Army Reserve chief, for leaving behind a "tremendous legacy -- an operationalized Reserve force of citizen-warriors seasoned by combat but grounded by our Army values."
Talley replaces Stultz who is retiring in July after 38 years of Army service. Stultz spent the last six years as the Army Reserve's senior officer -- the longest-serving commanding general in that position.
During his time in command, Stultz was instrumental in transforming the Army Reserve from a strategic reserve to an operational reserve supporting contingency operations in Afghanistan and Iraq and establishing a presence in other parts of the world in theater security cooperation missions.
Stultz also established an employer partnership program that assists employers in finding qualified Soldiers who are looking for jobs.
He said that while leadership changes, the Soldiers who live the Army values are a constant.
"Today is a significant event for the Army Reserve and the Army, but it doesn't change what are Soldiers are doing for us," Stultz said.
"The strength of our Army is our Soldiers, and the strength of our Soldiers is our family. And for the Army Reserve, the strength of our families is our communities," Stultz said.
"I'm not leaving sad, I'm smiling. It's been a great run," Stultz said, thanking everyone in attendance for what they do for Soldiers everyday.
The ceremony was held in front of the command's headquarters with nearly 500 guests in attendance.