Five Illinois Soldiers Graduate from Motor Transport Operator School

SPRINGFIELD, IL (05/13/2015)(readMedia)-- Five Illinois Army National Guard Soldiers graduated May 8 from the 129th Regional Training Institute's Motor Transport Operator reclassification course at Camp Lincoln in Springfield, Illinois.

Staff Sgt. Thomas Sherman of Dekalb, Illinois; Sgt. David Gomez of Joliet, Illinois; Sgt. Joshua Towal of Pawnee, Illinois; Sgt. Nicholas Trout of Chicago; and Spc. Nathan Ruthven of Rockford, Illinois; are now fully qualified Motor Transport Operators for the Illinois Army National Guard.

Trout was recognized as Distinguished Honor Graduate, receiving a coin and certificate of recognition.

To graduate from the course, Soldiers must complete more than 220 hours of coursework as well as hands-on training. During that time, they are trained and evaluated on the Army's Family of Medium Tactical Vehicles (FMTVs) to include driving on and off-road, driving with and without a trailer, convoy operations, maintenance, crew drills, and proper loading and hauling.

Cutline 1: Capt. Michael Barton of Greenview, Illinois, of the 1144th Transportation Battalion based in Delavan, Illinios, addresses the graduates of the 1st Battalion, 129th Regional Training Institute's Motor Transport Operator (88M) class May 8. Barton has deployed multiple times as an officer in the transportation field and was asked to address the class because of his extensive experience and knowledge. Of the 10 Soldiers who graduated, five are members of the Illinois Army National Guard. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Staff Sgt. Bryan Spreitzer, Illinois National Guard Public Affairs)

Cutline 2: Students of the 1st Battalion, 129th Regional Training Institute's Motor Transportation Operator (88M) class stand during the benediction of their graduation ceremony May 8. During the course, the 10 graduates were trained and evaluated on the Army's Family of Medium Tactical Vehicles (FMTVs) to include driving on and off-road, driving with and without a trailer, convoy operations, maintenance, crew drills, and proper loading and hauling. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Staff Sgt. Bryan Spreitzer, Illinois National Guard Public Affairs)

Cutlinte 3: Sgt. Nicholas Trout of Chicago accepts an award for being selected as a Distinguished Honor Graduate for the 129th Regional Training Institute's Motor Transportation Operator (88M) class from the1st Battalion,129th RTI's commander, Lt. Col. Gerald Newman of Oregon, Illinois May 8. During the course, the 10 graduates were trained and evaluated on the Army's Family of Medium Tactical Vehicles (FMTVs) to include driving on and off-road, driving with and without a trailer, convoy operations, maintenance, crew drills, and proper loading and hauling. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Staff Sgt. Bryan Spreitzer, Illinois National Guard Public Affairs)