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    Pilot, safety director, bishop: Jangro retiring after 42 years

    Pilot, safety director, bishop:  Jangro retiring after 42 years

    Courtesy Photo | Chief Warrant Officer 2 Bob Jangro as a UH-1 Huey pilot at Hunter Army Airfield,...... read more read more

    FORT BRAGG, NC, UNITED STATES

    10.03.2014

    Story by Timothy Hale  

    U.S. Army Reserve Command

    FORT BRAGG, N.C. - In 1971, young Bob Jangro fulfilled a dream, a higher calling to serve in the U.S. Army.

    Forty-two years later, Jangro is saying goodbye to the Army, for the second time.

    The son of a Navy man, Jangro jumped ship from wearing Navy blue choosing to serve in Army green.

    “As far back as I can remember, I wanted to join the military,” Jangro said. “My dad and both of my brothers were in the Navy and I was the odd man out who joined the Army.”

    Growing up as a child in Scotia, N.Y., Jangro frequently watched a television show called “The Big Picture” which featured documentaries produced by the U.S. Army Signal Corps. The show featured weapons, battles, and biographies of famous Soldiers.

    “Watching it impressed me and when it came time, I joined the Army,” he said.

    Jangro said he never intended to make a career of the Army but his fascination with aviation kept him in uniform.

    He spent much of his youth hanging out at the local airport in Schenectady County. There, he was a frequent visitor to the air traffic control tower. It only seemed natural that he should become a controller in the Army.

    After serving three years at Fort Rucker, Alabama and Seoul, Korea, Jangro left the Army. But after six months, the pull of military service called to him. He rejoined but this time as an aviation warrant officer.

    “Not only did the Army allow me to fly but they paid me to fly and I couldn’t beat that,” he said.

    He didn't just want to fly; he wanted to fly big aircraft, specifically the CH-37 Mojave, a large reciprocating engine helicopter. But those went out of service.

    His next choice was the CH-54 Skycrane helicopter but those too went out of service within the active Army.

    The next biggest aircraft in the Army inventory was the CH-47 Chinook.

    Jangro has flown most of the helicopters in the Army but he said most of his time was in the Chinook.

    Some of his most rewarding missions came as a Chinook pilot to include flying missions in Honduras in 1978.

    “We were there for six months and the missions were so varied,” he said. “We would fly over the ocean and sling load supplies to Navy ships to delivering doctors, dentists, and nurses to remote villages. There was a lot of job satisfaction there.”

    Another one of his flying highlights was piloting an AH-64 Apache at Fort Hood, Texas for the 1990 movie “Fire Birds” featuring Nicholas Cage, Tommy Lee Jones, Sean Young, and Dale Dye.

    “I was in most of the flight scenes for that movie,” he said. “We served as extras in scenes at the officer’s club and out on the airfield. Meeting the actors was fun and they got to know us. Nicholas Cage is a hoot!”

    Months later after the filming was complete, Jangro said they were celebrating one the Soldier’s birthday and Cage and his entourage showed up to celebrate with them.

    “It showed me that he [Cage] had a human side that many in Hollywood sometimes don’t have,” Jangro said. “He remembered this guy’s birthday and showed up unannounced.”

    After 20 years, Jangro retired as a Chief Warrant Officer 4, Three months later, duty called again, this time as an Army civilian.
    Jangro started his civilian career as an aviation safety manager with the 10th Mountain Division at Fort Drum, N.Y.

    Even though he was a civilian, he said it wasn’t much different than being an Army aviator.

    “The transition from military to civilian wasn’t that difficult for me as it was for others,” he said. “I was allowed to fly as a civilian. I usually wore a flight suit every day. I looked like a Soldier and was pretty much treated like a Soldier. I was still dealing with Army aviators so I felt a part of that fraternity. The transition was smooth because I was basically doing the same type of work that I did in the military.”

    Perhaps his most lasting legacy over 42 years will be his last four years as the U.S. Army Reserve safety director.

    In that time, Jangro said that Army Reserve accident rates have dropped dramatically during this time – the lowest the Army Reserve has ever seen and the lowest of all three components. So much so, the Army Reserve was recognized with the Secretary of the Army and Chief of Staff of the Army Headquarters Safety Award for FY 2013.

    Jangro said these lower numbers are a direct result of his staff.

    “That’s a big accomplishment,” Jangro said. “It’s the first time the Army Reserve has ever achieved that – it’s the first either of the reserve components have been recognized with the award. Receiving the award speaks to the command climate here for safety. There are a lot of people doing good things across the Army Reserve.”

    He said his job, as safety director, is made easier by his staff.

    “Everyone in here is a professional. We work well together and we are friends. The working relationship here is outstanding and our accomplishments are outstanding. They know what they are doing,” he said.

    In addition to answering the call to military and civilian service, Jangro has answered the call to ministry.

    Jangro holds Doctor of Divinity and Doctor of Ministry degrees. He was also consecrated a Bishop in the Old Catholic Church in 2006.

    As he looks toward retirement in December, he and his wife, Mi Ok, are looking forward to serving the church in a larger capacity.

    He will return to their home in Atlanta and will become more active in the church and hopes to start a parish there.

    Through it all - pilot, safety director, and now bishop - Jangro has made it his life’s work to answer a higher calling.

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    NEWS INFO

    Date Taken: 10.03.2014
    Date Posted: 10.03.2014 14:13
    Story ID: 144214
    Location: FORT BRAGG, NC, US
    Hometown: ATLANTA, GA, US
    Hometown: FAYETTEVILLE, GA, US
    Hometown: SCOTIA, NY, US

    Web Views: 153
    Downloads: 0

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