Spc. Louis Davilla (left), of the Texas Army National Guard, receives a Certificate from Lt. Col. Brad Leighton, of Sherman, Illinois, Commander, 1st Battalion, 129th Regiment (RTI) during the Motor Transport Operator Reclassification Course graduation ceremony May 6 at the Regional Training Institute, Camp Lincoln, Springfield, Illinois. (U.S. Army photo by Barbara Wilson, Illinois National Guard Public Affairs Office)
SPRINGFIELD, Illinois – Seventeen Soldiers, including Spc. Louis Davilla of the Texas Army National Guard, graduated from the Motor Transport Operator Reclassification Course May 6 at the Illinois National Guard Regional Training Institute, Camp Lincoln, Springfield, Illinois.
“Nothing happens until something moves,” said 1st Sgt. James Davis, of Springfield, Illinois, Headquarters and Headquarters Detachment, 129th Regiment (RTI) and Commercial Transportation Officer, U.S. Property and Fiscal Office, Illinois National Guard. “You have learned a skill set that not many people have. But it’s a lot more than just driving a truck.”
Davis told the graduates they have spent the past 28 days learning to become entry-level logisticians.
“You will have Soldiers that will depend on your leadership skills,” he said. “Those Soldiers will get you through your day-to-day operations. You’re there to keep the battle moving, to keep supplies on the front lines and to get troops where they need to be.”
Davis said that as motor transport operators they’ll be among the first Soldiers called up when needed.
1st Sgt. James Davis, of Springfield, Illinois, Headquarters and Headquarters Detachment, 129th Regiment (RTI), congratulates the 17 Soldiers graduating from the Motor Transport Operators course May 6 at the Regional Training Institute, Camp Lincoln, Springfield, Illinois. (U.S. Army photo by Barbara Wilson, Illinois National Guard Public Affairs Office)
“There will be supplies that need to be moved, and you’ll be there to back up the front line troops,” he said.
He urged the graduates to be ready, and always be open to learning.
“Take what you have learned back to your units and share it with your junior enlisted Soldiers,” he said. “Share with your command what you have learned so they can better their standard operational procedures. Be ready and keep brushing up on your skill sets.”
Davis urged the Soldiers to stay safe as they put their new MOS into action.
“Do all the safety checks before pulling out on a mission,” he said.
The two-phase course honored a Distinguished Honor Graduate and Honor Graduate Sgt. Arthur Krupa, of the Missouri National Guard, was selected as the Distinguished Honor Graduate and Staff Sgt. Cody Schaefer, of Murphysboro, Illinois, was selected as the Honor Graduate.
“The course was a great experience,” said Krupa. “We had some good times and received a lot of good training.”