1041st Transportation hits the road this July for historic annual training

In preparation for another busy annual training, leaders from the 1041st Transportation Company drove more than 3,000 miles in six days across eight states.

“This is easily one of the longest CONUS (Continental United States) convoy movements any Washington National Guard unit has conducted in recent history or maybe ever,” said Capt. Luis Torres, commander, 1041st Transportation Company.

This year the unit will leverage its annual training to help prepare for its mobilization support force tasking assigned to the unit as part of its federal mission. This mission requires units from across the nation that would help stand up and run mobilization sites throughout the continental United States.

Staff Sgt. Bryan Calvillo, Sergeant 1st Class Nathan Brogan and Torres hit the road driving from Washington through Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, Nebraska, Kansas, Colorado and Utah as part of the reconnaissance. They visited various military installations and armories to coordinate rest and maintenance support locations for the upcoming annual training. This July, soldiers will convoy in their tactical vehicles more than 4,000 miles to and from Fort Riley, Kansas to validate the unit’s primary and alternate routes and its ability to rapidly conduct an interstate deployment.

“The soldiers love what they do, and they love to drive. That’s one of the reasons they chose to be 88Ms,” said Torres. “This will stress test the unit and our ability to be ready.”

Rest and maintenance sites are key strategic locations that will allow soldiers to take a break and conduct vehicle upkeep. This reconnaissance mission was a key component of planning and leverages the unit’s ability to coordinate interstate cooperation and collaboration as they travel thousands of miles across the western half of the United States. Soldiers will travel far enough that you could do a round trip from North to South of the US or easily from coast to coast.

During the last few years, the unit has enjoyed out of the box thinking and deliberate planning to ensure realistic and challenging training that is enjoyable to the soldiers. In recent years, the 1041st Transportation Company has supported large scale exercises to include the nationwide Moves to Camp Roberts, Cal. and Maple Resolve in Wainwright Alberta, Canada. The last two years, they traveled to Fort Harrison, MT. and Dugway Proving Grounds, UT. These types of annual trainings have helped increase recruitment and retention in the company as well as set the bar when it comes to transportation training.

“Last year’s trip to Dugway Proving Grounds was roughly two-thousand miles roundtrip and we are looking forward to doubling that and continuing the movements,” said Torres. “We are looking forward to this year as well.”

Story by Capt. Luis Torres and Joseph Siemandel