Story by: Sgt. Stefan Wray, 2nd Regiment, Texas State Guard
Posted On: 1/28/2017
Col. John W. Muirhead assumed command of the 2nd Regiment, Texas State Guard, at a change of command ceremony held at Camp Mabry, Austin, Texas, Oct. 15, 2016. His wife, Sgt. Yvonne Muirhead and Brig. Gen. Howard N. Palmer, Jr., Commander, Army Component Command, Texas State Guard, congratulate Muirhead on his accomplishment. (Texas State Guard photo by Staff Sgt. Barry Branham).
AUSTIN, Texas – Col. John W. Muirhead assumed command of the 2nd Regiment, Texas State Guard, at a change of command ceremony at Camp Mabry, Austin, Oct. 15, 2016. Prior to the change of the command, Muirhead was promoted to the rank of colonel in the Texas State Guard.
He will lead the regiment, which is headquartered in Gatesville, with battalions in Austin, Gatesville and Killeen.
“The 2nd Regiment has an outstanding history and outstanding soldiers,” said Muirhead. “It is an honor to be a part of it and to command is the greatest responsibility for an officer. I believe in leading from the front will not ask anyone to do what I have not already done. I will capitalize on our greatest asset – the soldier. We need to make sure that we are developing leaders at every level.”
Muirhead began his military career when he was commissioned into the U.S. Air Force after completing a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and the Air Force ROTC program at the University of Texas at Austin, in 1990. During his federal service, he served in the Strategic Air Command Missile Combat Crew Flight Command, as a jump-duty Special Operations Forces Intelligence Officer, the Chief of Research and Analysis for the Joint Psychological Operations Support Element and the Chief of Influence Operations on the Air Staff at the Pentagon in Washington, D.C.
Brig. Gen. Howard N. Palmer, Jr., Commander, Army Component Command, passes the 2nd Regiment guidon to Col. John W. Muirhead at the change of command ceremony at Camp Mabry, Austin, Texas, Oct. 15, 2016. The guidon is the flag of the unit and symbolizes the authority to command the unit. (Texas State Guard photo by Staff Sgt. Barry Branham).
His other assignments have included commander, operations squadron, Defense Language Institute English Language Center and deputy commander for the 37th Mission Support Group, the largest support group in the United States, at Joint Base San Antonio- Lackland.
His ground combat tours include the U. S. Army 6th Psychological Operations in Kosovo during Operation Allied Force; the Allied Rapid Reaction Force in Macedonia during Operations Noble Anvil and Joint Guardian and the 18th Airborne Corps Chief of Current Operations for Information Operations in Iraq during Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Many of his assignments included duty as a behavioral scientist, psychological operations tools and technologies research, psychological profiling, strategic intelligence planning and counter-terrorism.
Retiring in 2011, Muirhead joined the Texas State Guard in December 2014. He previously served as the Executive Officer for the 1st Regiment and the Operations Officer for the Army Component Command.
"Col. John Muirhead is the best qualified with the experience, education and vision to lead the 2nd Regiment to even greater achievements," said Brig. Gen. Howard N. Palmer, Jr.,
Commander, Army Component Command, Texas State Guard. “He knows how the Texas State Guard fits into the Texas Military Forces and Texas Military Department. He understands that we are here to serve our fellow Texans as a mission ready force.”
Muirhead and his wife, Sgt. Yvonne Muirhead, reside in San Antonio. In his civilian role he is a lieutenant with the Bexar County Constable Office, Precinct 4.