FORT LEE, Va. –
The
U.S. Army Transportation Corps conducted their annual regimental honors
ceremony May 1 at Wylie Hall on Fort Lee, Virginia.
Brig.
Gen. Jeffrey W. Drushal, chief of transportation and commandant, U.S. Army
Transportation School, recognized the Deployment Excellence Award 2017, top
officers, warrant officers, NCOs, Soldiers and civilians of the year as well as
conducted the investiture of the honorarys of the regiment and 2018 Distinguished
Members of the Regiment.
“The
lineage of our corps and the reason our transportation corps reputation is so
storied and respected is because of individual like these (recognized today),”
said Drushal. “Our Soldiers embody the transportation corps with
professionalism, excellence and service to their country. We remain highly
respected because of the commitment to serve something larger than themselves.”
During
the ceremony, the general recognized the following as honorarys of the
regiment: Honorary Colonel of the Regiment, Lt. Gen. (ret.) Kathleen Gainey;
Honorary Sergeant Major of the Regiment, Command Sgt. Maj. (ret.) John
Kressley; Honorary Warrant Officer of the Regiment, Chief Warrant Officer 4
(ret.) Patrick Deck; and Honorary Civilian of the Regiment, Army civilian
(ret.) Hiram Simkins.
The
“Best of the Best” award, officially called the 2017 Deployment Excellence
Award, was given to the 173rd Infantry Brigade Combat Team (Airborne), Camp
Ederle, Vicenza, Italy. The deployment excellence award, instituted in 2000,
recognizes units and installation transportation efforts that exceed the Army
deployment standards.
The
2017 annual Transportation Corps winners were: Active Duty Officer, 1st Lt.
Eugene T. Molisso, 84th Engineer Battalion, Schofield Barracks, Hawaii; Reserve
Officer, Capt. Ryan A. Schlenker, 385th Transportation Battalion, Tacoma,
Washington; Active Duty Warrant Officer, Chief Warrant Officer 2 Maylynn H.
Babauta, 19th Expeditionary Sustainment Command, Camp Henry, Korea; Reserve
Warrant Officer, Chief Warrant Officer 2 Cleophus S. Wallace, 840th
Transportation Battalion, Camp Arifjan, Kuwait; Active Duty Noncommissioned
Officer, Staff Sgt. Ioana-Star Wells, 11th Transportation Battalion, Joint Base
Little Creek-Fort Story, Virginia; Active Duty Soldier, Spc. Anna M. Howard,
688th Rapid Port Opening Element, Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Virginia; Reserve
Soldier, Ricardo Thomas, 840th Trans. Bn.; and Civilian of the Year, Sarah I.
Kline, 12th Combat Aviation Brigade, Katterbach Army Airfield, Germany.
The
Distinguished Member of the Regiment award, introduced in 1998, honors selected
individuals who have made distinguished contributions to the Transportation
Corps, and who, by virtue of prestige, status and experience assist in
fostering regimental pride and esprit de corps.
The
2018 Transportation Corps Distinguished Members of the Regiment inductees were:
Col. (ret.) Morris J. Hatcher; Col. (ret.) Robert M. Villalobos; Col. (ret.)
Mark A. Westbrook; Chief Warrant Officer 4 (ret.) Lawrence L. Claflin; Command
Sgt. Maj. (ret.) Colvin D. Bennet; Sgt. Maj. (ret.) Rodney D. Hobbs; Sgt. Maj.
(ret.) Willie L. Jacobs; and Master Sgt. (ret.) Dedric J. Knox.
The
ceremony was held as part of the U.S. Army Combined Arms Support Command
Sustainment Week branch day activities.