Reservist leap into TRANSCOM transition.

These days, everywhere Brig. Gen. Carlos "Butch" Pair goes, his cell phone goes with him.

It was only five months ago when Pair did not even own a cell phone. Then, on June 19, Pair walked into the headquarters of the U.S. Transportation Command and became the organization's first Reserve Chief of Staff.

It was quite a leap for the Sylacauga, Ala., resident, who had been serving in the part-time Army Reserve position as Deputy Commanding General for Mobilization at the Military Traffic Management Command, in the Washington, D.C., area.

"Until this job," said Pair, "I never fully understood the breadth and scope of the Defense Transportation System."

On arrival, Pair said a "fire hose" of information came his way from countless briefings.

Now, Pair is on the scheduling end of briefings--not the recipient.

"I'm connected," said Pair. "Today, the Office of the Chief of Staff touches everything flowing into and out of the Command Suite."

In such a responsible job, Pair said the job calls for continuous attention.

"There was no test," said Pair. "This was a job to execute and to succeed in. I am in a contribution mode--that translates to whatever the job calls for."

Those challenges came quickly.

After a short orientation, Pair found himself representing the Commander-in-Chief in a variety of official and ceremonial tasks. Although a long-time reservist, Pair had not been on active duty since 1979 at Redstone Arsenal, Ala.

These days, Pair is a familiar sight at Scott Air Force Base, Ill., a dozen miles outside St. Louis.

Most days, he can be seen walking the two blocks from his residence to the Transportation Command headquarters building. Once inside at a busy desk, Pair still finds time to walk around the building, coffee cup in hand, to talk to Transportation Command's people.

Pair hears employee concerns.

"This is a headquarters of people and processes, not machinery," said Pair. "We've got to pay attention to each equally.

"I am helping provide focus and fine-tuning to processes already working at a top-notch headquarters."

People and work queue up to his desk. Pair gets upwards of 60 e-mail messages a day--and he says the number is growing.

Pair is a happy man.

"For me," said Pair, "this is the right decision at the right time."

Scott Air Force Base is now home to Pair. Upon his selection, Pair and his wife, Jeannie, sold their home in Sylacauga.

Pair's assignment will run two years. His assignment is part of a Department of Defense program designed to place Reservists in positions of strategic significance.