Eldon Regua
Encyclopedia
Eldon Regua is a Major General in the United States Army Reserve, serves as Chief of Staff (Wartime) (Individual Mobilization Augmentee) for 8th United States Army headquartered in Yongsan, Korea, having just completed an assignment as Commanding General, 75th Mission Command Training Division in Houston, Texas in July 2011. As of 2010, he was the senior most active, or reserve, non-retired flag
or general officer of Filipino American
ethnicity. He is also half Mexican American
ethnicity.
who emigrated from the Philippines
in 1929. His mother Evangeline, a Mexican American, was born in El Paso, Texas
met his father, in 1951. His family eventually settled in the Evergreen District of San Jose in 1968.
As a young boy he and his family and worked the fields picking prunes, walnuts, green beans and apricots also working in an apricot dry yard. In 1973 he graduated from Silver Creek High School
. After high school he was admitted to Santa Clara University
where he participated in the Army ROTC
program and graduate in 1977 earning a B.S.
in Commerce in accounting. Eventually he would go on and earn Master of business administration
degree from Chapman University
, and a Master of strategic studies degree from the United States Army War College
. All four of his brothers would also go on to earn college degrees.
Following SCU, he became a newly commissioned officer in the Air Defense Artillery Branch, serving initially in Giessen, Germany during the Cold War
after his Officer Basic Course at Fort Bliss
. He would also work with a tactical evaluation team under Allied Air Forces Central Europe
evaluating allied Improved Hawk
units.
Following a stint on active duty, he joined the Army Reserve
, being promoted multiple times, serving in multiple units to include 91st Division (Training Support), 63rd Regional Support Command, and the 104th Division (Institutional Training). He was briefly activated in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom during the first half of 2003, and oversaw certification of units heading downrange
; this activation also fell under Operation Noble Eagle
. His deactivation from active duty, in 2003, was connected to the selection as Chief of Staff and later approval of his promotion to Brigadier General
by then President George Bush
, to the position of Assistant Division Commander(Operations) as well as Commanding General of the 104th Division from 2007-2008. He has visited in both Iraq
and Afghanistan
on several occasions.
He is president of RightStep Services, while serving as Chief of Staff(Wartime) of the 8th US Army. MG Regua recently served on the Secretary of the Army's Reserve Forces Policy Committee(ARFPC).
Flag Officer
A flag officer is a commissioned officer in a nation's armed forces senior enough to be entitled to fly a flag to mark where the officer exercises command. The term usually refers to the senior officers in an English-speaking nation's navy, specifically those who hold any of the admiral ranks; in...
or general officer of Filipino American
Filipino American
Filipino Americans are Americans of Filipino ancestry. Filipino Americans, often shortened to "Fil-Ams", or "Pinoy",Filipinos in what is now the United States were first documented in the 16th century, with small settlements beginning in the 18th century...
ethnicity. He is also half Mexican American
Mexican American
Mexican Americans are Americans of Mexican descent. As of July 2009, Mexican Americans make up 10.3% of the United States' population with over 31,689,000 Americans listed as of Mexican ancestry. Mexican Americans comprise 66% of all Hispanics and Latinos in the United States...
ethnicity.
Biography
Born and raised in San Jose, he grew up with his parents and four brothers and two sisters. His father Felipe (Philip), dropped out of school in the fifth grade, and became a Filipino agricultural laborerFarmworker
A farmworker is a person hired to work in the agricultural industry. This includes work on farms of all sizes, from small, family-run businesses to large industrial agriculture operations...
who emigrated from the Philippines
Commonwealth of the Philippines
The Commonwealth of the Philippines was a designation of the Philippines from 1935 to 1946 when the country was a commonwealth of the United States. The Commonwealth was created by the Tydings-McDuffie Act, which was passed by the U.S. Congress in 1934. When Manuel L...
in 1929. His mother Evangeline, a Mexican American, was born in El Paso, Texas
El Paso, Texas
El Paso, is a city in and the county seat of El Paso County, Texas, United States, and lies in far West Texas. In the 2010 census, the city had a population of 649,121. It is the sixth largest city in Texas and the 19th largest city in the United States...
met his father, in 1951. His family eventually settled in the Evergreen District of San Jose in 1968.
As a young boy he and his family and worked the fields picking prunes, walnuts, green beans and apricots also working in an apricot dry yard. In 1973 he graduated from Silver Creek High School
Silver Creek High School (San Jose, California)
Silver Creek High School is a high school located in San Jose, California which is operated by the East Side Union High School District. It is a California Distinguished School.-Code Red:...
. After high school he was admitted to Santa Clara University
Santa Clara University
Santa Clara University is a private, not-for-profit, Jesuit-affiliated university located in Santa Clara, California, United States. Chartered by the state of California and accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges, it operates in collaboration with the Society of Jesus , whose...
where he participated in the Army ROTC
Army Reserve Officers' Training Corps
The Army Reserve Officers' Training Corps is the United States Army component of the Reserve Officers' Training Corps. It is the largest ROTC program, with 20,000 ROTC cadets in 272 ROTC programs at major universities throughout the United States.The modern Army Reserve Officers' Training Corps...
program and graduate in 1977 earning a B.S.
Bachelor of Science
A Bachelor of Science is an undergraduate academic degree awarded for completed courses that generally last three to five years .-Australia:In Australia, the BSc is a 3 year degree, offered from 1st year on...
in Commerce in accounting. Eventually he would go on and earn Master of business administration
Master of Business Administration
The Master of Business Administration is a :master's degree in business administration, which attracts people from a wide range of academic disciplines. The MBA designation originated in the United States, emerging from the late 19th century as the country industrialized and companies sought out...
degree from Chapman University
Chapman University
Chapman University is a private, non-profit university located in Orange, California affiliated with the Christian Church . Known for its blend of liberal arts and professional programs, Chapman University encompasses seven schools and colleges: Lawrence and Kristina Dodge College of Film and Media...
, and a Master of strategic studies degree from the United States Army War College
U.S. Army War College
The United States Army War College is a United States Army school located in Carlisle, Pennsylvania, on the 500 acre campus of the historic Carlisle Barracks...
. All four of his brothers would also go on to earn college degrees.
Following SCU, he became a newly commissioned officer in the Air Defense Artillery Branch, serving initially in Giessen, Germany during the Cold War
Cold War
The Cold War was the continuing state from roughly 1946 to 1991 of political conflict, military tension, proxy wars, and economic competition between the Communist World—primarily the Soviet Union and its satellite states and allies—and the powers of the Western world, primarily the United States...
after his Officer Basic Course at Fort Bliss
Fort Bliss
Fort Bliss is a United States Army post in the U.S. states of New Mexico and Texas. With an area of about , it is the Army's second-largest installation behind the adjacent White Sands Missile Range. It is FORSCOM's largest installation, and has the Army's largest Maneuver Area behind the...
. He would also work with a tactical evaluation team under Allied Air Forces Central Europe
Allied Air Forces Central Europe
Allied Air Forces Central Europe was the headquarters for NATO air forces in Central Europe from 1951 to 1967 and from 1974 to 1993.-History:It was first based at Fontainebleau , and originally activated in April 1951...
evaluating allied Improved Hawk
MIM-23 Hawk
The Raytheon MIM-23 Hawk is a U.S. medium range surface-to-air missile. The Hawk was initially designed to destroy aircraft and was later adapted to destroy other missiles in flight. The missile entered service in 1960, and a program of extensive upgrades has kept it from becoming obsolete. It was...
units.
Following a stint on active duty, he joined the Army Reserve
United States Army Reserve
The United States Army Reserve is the federal reserve force of the United States Army. Together, the Army Reserve and the Army National Guard constitute the reserve components of the United States Army....
, being promoted multiple times, serving in multiple units to include 91st Division (Training Support), 63rd Regional Support Command, and the 104th Division (Institutional Training). He was briefly activated in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom during the first half of 2003, and oversaw certification of units heading downrange
Downrange
Downrange is the horizontal distance traveled by a spacecraft, or the spacecraft's horizontal distance from the launch site. More often, it is used as an adverb or adjective specifying the direction of that travel being measured in a horizontal direction....
; this activation also fell under Operation Noble Eagle
Operation Noble Eagle
Operation Noble Eagle is the name given to military operations related to homelandsecurity and support to federal, state, and local agencies...
. His deactivation from active duty, in 2003, was connected to the selection as Chief of Staff and later approval of his promotion to Brigadier General
Brigadier general (United States)
A brigadier general in the United States Army, Air Force, and Marine Corps, is a one-star general officer, with the pay grade of O-7. Brigadier general ranks above a colonel and below major general. Brigadier general is equivalent to the rank of rear admiral in the other uniformed...
by then President George Bush
George W. Bush
George Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
, to the position of Assistant Division Commander(Operations) as well as Commanding General of the 104th Division from 2007-2008. He has visited in both Iraq
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
and Afghanistan
Afghanistan
Afghanistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located in the centre of Asia, forming South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East. With a population of about 29 million, it has an area of , making it the 42nd most populous and 41st largest nation in the world...
on several occasions.
He is president of RightStep Services, while serving as Chief of Staff(Wartime) of the 8th US Army. MG Regua recently served on the Secretary of the Army's Reserve Forces Policy Committee(ARFPC).