Lieutenant General Jeffrey W. Talley is the senior leader for the United States Army Reserve, a single component and command of the United States Army. Sworn in as the 32nd Chief of Army Reserve (CAR) on 9 June 2012, he also assumed duties as the 7th Commanding General of United States Army Reserve Command. As CAR, he is the principal staff adviser to the Secretary of the Army and the Army Chief of Staff on all Army Reserve Affairs. He develops Army Reserve budgets, training programs and policy decisions; manages the Army Reserve troop program units, individual mobilization augmentees, and the active guard/reserve program; and serves as the appropriation director of all Army Reserve funds. He also commands all Army Reserve troop program units worldwide, with total end strength of 205,000 Soldiers and 12,600 civilians, and an operating budget of over $9 billion dollars.
Lt. Gen. Talley graduated from Louisiana State University in 1981 with a Regular Army commission in the Corps of Engineers. During more than 31 years of active and reserve service, he has commanded units at every echelon, from platoon to division-level, with duty in Korea, Kuwait, Iraq, and the United States. In February 2003, he mobilized and deployed in support of OPERATION ENDURING FREEDOM/OPERATION IRAQI FREEDOM as Chief of Operations, 416th Engineer Command, Coalition Joint Forces Land Component Command. Upon return from theater, he served in the Pentagon as a strategic planner in the Deputy Directorate for the War on Terrorism, Strategic Plans & Policy Directorate (J-5), Joint Chiefs of Staff. In January 2008, he mobilized again, deploying in support of OPERATION IRAQI FREEDOM where he was the Commander, 926th Engineer Brigade, 4th Infantry Division, Multi-National Division-Baghdad and the Baghdad Provincial Engineer. From June 2009 to April 2012 he served as Commanding General, 84th Training Command at Ft. Knox, KY where he was responsible for assessing the readiness of Army Reserve units through Combat Training Center-like exercises. He also served on the Secretary of Defense’s Reserve Forces Policy Board from 2009 to 2012.
Prior to his return to active military service, Lt. Gen. Talley was President & CEO and Co-Founder & Lead Investor of Environmental Technology Solutions (ETS Partners); and also, an Adjunct Professor at The Johns Hopkins University. Other civilian experiences include leadership positions at Southern Methodist University, University of Notre Dame, Malcolm Pirnie, Inc., and the Corps of Engineers. He has over 31 years of experience in multiple academic, design, consulting, and military positions involving hundreds of environmental and business projects throughout the United States and abroad.
Lt. Gen. Talley holds a Ph.D. in Civil and Environmental Engineering from Carnegie Mellon University and an Executive M.B.A. from the University of Oxford in England. He also holds multiple master’s degrees in strategic studies, environmental engineering and science, liberal arts (history and philosophy), and religious studies. He is a graduate of the Army War College. He is also a registered Professional Engineer, a Board Certified Environmental Engineer in Environmental Sustainability, and a Diplomate, Water Resources Engineer.
Lt. Gen. Talley and his wife, Linda, have four grown children: Christopher, Joshua, Matthew, and Ashley; and a Labrador named Baxter and a mutt named Roxy. Their youngest son, Army 1st Lieutenant Matthew Talley, is a combat veteran.
Lt. Gen. Talley’s awards and decorations include the Army Distinguished Service Medal, the Legion of Merit Medal, three Bronze Star Medals, the USACE Silver De Fleury Medal, four Meritorious Service Medals, the Joint Service Commendation Medal, two Army Commendation Medals, four Army Achievement Medals, Parachutist and Air Assault Badges, Ranger Tab, and the Army Staff, Joint Staff and Office of the Secretary of Defense Identification Badges.