New Leader to Take Reins of So. Cal's Largest Army Reserve Command in Los Al

They got a new headquarters in Los Alamitos, and now they're about to get a new commander.

The 79th Sustainment Support Command — the largest Army Reserve Command in southern California — will change hands Saturday as Brig. Gen. Megan P. Tatu takes charge and takes a promotion to Major-General, according to an Army reserve spokesman.

Tatu has served more than 30 years in active and reserve service in Germany, the United states and, in 2006, was deployed to Iraq as the commander of the 164 Corp Support Group. To read her full biography, scroll to the end of this article.

Military officials will hold a change of command ceremony at the Joint Forces Training Base for Tatu at 11 a.m. Feb. 9. The event will include the official exchange of authority between outgoing commander of the 79th SSC, Maj. Gen. William D. Frink , Jr. and Tatu.

The 79th SSC is made up of about 20,000 Army Reserve soldiers and civilians across 19 states west of the Mississippi River. 

A full biography of Tatu

Submitted by the 79th Army Reserves communications department.

Tatu graduated from the University of California at Los Angeles where she attended on an Army Reserve Officer Training Corps scholarship. She earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science and was commissioned in the Signal Corps.

Throughout her more than 30 years active and reserve service, she has commanded at every level, from platoon to Division-level with duty in Germany, Iraq and the United States. She began her active military service as the signal platoon leader, 2/57 Air Defense Artillery Battalion, Ansbach, Germany and became the Executive Officer, Delta Company, 11th Air Defense Signal Battalion, Kaiserslautern, Germany. She later served as the Battalion Motor Officer, 5th Signal Battalion, Ft. Polk, Louisiana, followed by her assignment as the Chief, Testing Management, Military Entrance and Processing Station, Los Angeles, California.

Tatu's principal staff assignments have been as the Assistant Inspector General, 311th Corps Support Command in Los Angeles, California; Division Chief, Reserve Personnel, 63D Regional Support Command, Los Alamitos, California; Chief, Individual Training and Assistant Deputy Chief of Staff, Training, 63D Regional Support Command; and Deputy Chief of Staff, G3, 63D Regional Readiness Command. In June 2006, she mobilized and deployed as the Commander, 164th Corp Support Group in support of OPERATION IRAQI FREEDOM 06-08.

Upon return from theater, she served as the Deputy Commanding General, 311th Signal Command (Theater), Ft. Shafter, Hawaii. Prior to her assignment as the Commanding General of the 79th Sustainment Support Command, she served as the Commander, Pacific Training Division, 75th Training Command (Mission Command) at Camp Parks, California, responsible for Mission Command Staff Training of military units for deployments and other missions, by conducting live and virtual scenario-based training, as well as training on organizational decision-making. She also serves on the Secretary of the Army’s Army Reserve Forces Policy Committee, a position she has held since 2010.

Her military education includes the Signal Officer Basic and Advanced Courses, Command and General Staff College, the Inspector General Course, the Army War College and CAPSTONE.

Tatu’s awards and decorations include two Legion of Merit Medals, the Bronze Star Medal, five Meritorious Service Medals, two Army Commendation Medals, the Joint Service Achievement Medal, Army Achievement Medal, Iraq Campaign Medal, and the Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, among others.

Tatu and her husband of 30 years, Mike, have three grown sons; Glendon, Colin and Shane. Their middle son, Colin, is a Specialist in the Army, currently serving at Ft. Bragg, North Carolina.