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MAJOR GENERAL THOMAS J. PLEWES
COMMANDING GENERAL
U.S. ARMY RESERVE COMMAND
Major General Thomas J. Plewes, currently serves as
Commander, United States Army Reserve Command (USARC); Chief, U.S. Army Reserve (CAR); and
Deputy Commanding General for Reserve Affairs, U.S. Forces Command. Prior to assuming his
present assignments in May, 1998, he was the USARC Deputy Commanding General.
As the Commander of the U.S. Army Reserve Command, Major General Plewes oversees all Army
Reserve units in the continental United States with the exception of Psychological
Operations, Civil Affairs and Special Forces Units. The USARC’s primary mission is to
provide trained and ready soldiers and units, which support America’s Army and the
communities where they live and work. Approximately 200,000 soldiers are assigned to some
1,700 USARC units.
Plewes, a native of Zeeland, Michigan, graduated from Hope College, Holland, Michigan,
with a Bachelors Degree in Economics, and received a Masters Degree in Economics from The
George Washington University, Washington, DC.
Before assuming his assignment as Deputy Commanding General of the USARC in December,
1996, Plewes was the Commanding General, 310th Theater Army Area Command, Fort Belvoir,
Virginia. General Plewes has held a wide variety of higher-level logistics assignments in
the Army Reserve. He has served as Assistant Deputy Commanding General for Reserve Affairs
of the U.S. Army Material Command (AMC), and was assigned as Deputy Commander for
Operations of the U.S. Army Depot System Command.
Prior to his assignments in AMC, he served as Chief of Staff, 310th Theater Army Area
Command, and Commander 510th Theater Army Support Group, Baltimore, Maryland. He held a
variety of positions in the 310th Theater Army Area Command, with experience as Commander,
Special Troops; Training Officer; and Deputy Chief of Staff for Security Plans and
Operations. He commanded the 1006th General Supply Company and the 328th Engineer
Detachment after entering the Army Reserve in 1969. On Active Duty during the 1966-1969
period, he served with the 3rd Engineer Battalion of the 24th Infantry Division in Germany
and Fort Riley, Kansas, as Commander, Company B; Commander, Atomic Demolitions Platoon;
and Assistant Operations Officer.
His military education includes Engineer Officer Candidate School; the Engineer, Ordnance
and Quartermaster Advance Courses; Command and General Staff College; and the Army War
College. His awards include the Legion of Merit (with two oak leaf clusters), the
Meritorious Service Medal (with two oak leaf clusters), the Army Commendation Medal, and
the Department of Defense Identification Badge.
Major General Plewes was appointed by Defense Secretary Perry to be a member of the
congressionally chartered Reserve Forces Policy Board in June 1994. He was President of
the Senior Army Reserve Commanders Association and is active in the Reserve Officers
Association.
In his civilian capacity, Major General Plewes retired as the Associate Commissioner of
the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, where he had responsibility for the Nation’s
labor force information. He is a Fellow of the American Statistical Association.
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Revised: July 22, 1999