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Eighteen NCOs from around U.S. Army Europe graduated from the 21st Theater Sustainment Command-hosted motor transport operator Advanced Leadership Course during a ceremony March 25 held at the Galaxy Theater on the Vogelweh Military Complex.
The NCOs traveled from throughout Germany, Belgium and Italy to the KMC to receive training from a stateside mobile transition team. The course is typically conducted at Fort Lee, Va., but in the interest of military financial responsibility the school came to the students for class number ALC 13-704.
“It costs the Army roughly $28,000 to bring myself and another small group leader to Germany and conduct this course,” said Sgt. 1st Class Darryl O. Dotson, the senior small group leader for class 13-704. “If the Army were to send each of these students to Fort Lee, it would have cost $14,000 for each NCO.”
During the three-and-a-half week course, the NCOs learned about the Blue Force Tracker and Brigade Combat Sustainment Support System which tracks all allied forces, materials and routes in a battle space.
They also conducted hands-on training in rail operations and container management. They learned convoy operations including gun-truck operations and roll-over procedures, said Staff Sgt. Jason M. Talucci, the schools NCO for the 21st TSC’s 39th Transportation Battalion, 16th Sustainment Brigade.
“The class took place primarily on Rhine Ordnance Barracks and Panzer Kaserne,” Talucci said. “In addition to the classroom training, the students used virtual training simulators to conduct simulated convoys and combat situations. They also went through the roll-over simulator.”
The graduating NCOs received their certificates from Command Sgt. Maj. Cynthia Howard, the command sergeant major of the 598th Transportation Brigade, Surface, Deployment, and Distribution Command.
“This was outstanding training, and it doesn’t matter that this was distance training. These Soldiers conducted the same training they would have at Fort Lee, and it was just as realistic,” Howard said.
All graduating NCOs felt a sense of accomplishment at taking the next step in their professional education. They agreed the course was challenging, beneficial and practical, since it was conducted closer to their home stations, said Sgt. Lamanda A. Jackson, a motor transport operations NCO assigned to the 51st Transportation Company, 16th Special Troops Battalion, 16th SB.
“This course was very beneficial to all of us and we learned so much,” Jackson said. “One of the biggest benefits to the way we conducted this school is we got to do it in a familiar location. I definitely recommend this for future schools.”
