After faithfully serving the Army as a Soldier for over 20 years, Lt. Col. Robert L. Reid performed more than 24 years of dedicated, superior civilian service in the test and evaluation of Army materiel.

Drawing on previous military airborne career experiences, Reid significantly contributed to the test and evaluation process with his vast knowledge of parachutes, aerial delivery equipment, cargo aircraft and their interface in the airborne role.  Reid was often called upon to advise members of the Department of the Army Staff, Department of Defense Staff, and Congress on controversial acquisition issues.  He always provided the advice needed by higher headquarters to ensure the difficult but necessary decisions.

Reid managed and supervised several high-dollar major test programs, including operational tests, including the U.S. Air Force C-5A and the C-141B aircraft, Airdrop Certification of the M551 Sheridan Armored Vehicle, Type V Airdrop Platform, and the 42,000-Pound Airdrop System.  One of Reid's most enduring accomplishments was his design, planning, and implementation of the U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command (TRADOC) Force Development Test and Experimentation (FDTE) program.  This Herculean task involved and crossed Army and Air Force lines, Army operational airborne forces, Army research and engineering agencies, and TRADOC doctrinal lines, and was immediately successful in upgrading the readiness to Army and Air Force units throughout the world.  Under Reid's guidance, this program was later expanded to add internal air transportability and helicopter sling load testing, which are still in effect to this day.

Reid was meritoriously appointed and promoted as Chief of Test Branch, Test Division, in December 1988.  Throughout his civilian career, his innovative methods have saved the U.S. Army several million dollars in limited test funds, while providing timely and accurate test results.  Reid was a mentor who possessed true leadership and earned great respect and loyalty from all his associates.

Reid's honors include the National Defense Service Medal, Parachute Badge, Master Parachute Badge, Army Commendation Medal 1st Oak Leaf Cluster, Combat Infantry Badge, Republic of Vietnam National Campaign Medal/Device (60), Vietnam Jump Wings, Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, Armed Forces Reserve Medal, Air Medal, and two overseas bars.