1041st Transportation participates in Operation Nationwide Move



CAMP MURRAY, WA - With the desire for more realistic and hands-on training for Guardsmen, the 1041st Transportation Company took part in Nationwide Move 2015, an Army Reserve-approved functional training exercise designed to provide Reserve component transportation and support units with valuable, realistic training, by conducting operations in support of continental U.S. activities.

"The 1041st Transportation Company was the only National Guard unit to participate in the exercise," said CPT Ryan Dykes, commander, 1041st Transportation Company. "It was great training for the soldiers and a lot fun too."

The task was simple, load up and transport vehicles from the Marysville Armed Force Readiness Center, and convoy the equipment down to Camp Roberts, Calif., a total of 1,300 miles one-way for the "Road Chiefs".

"Anytime the unit can get out and drive is a good thing," said Dykes. "This is what they joined the Guard to do and we are always looking for the chance to get them behind the wheel."

The 1041st Transportation Company stationed on Fairchild Air Force Base, with a detachment in Montesano, conducts large and medium vehicle operations for the Washington Army National Guard. The unit, which has deployed to Iraq multiple times since 2001, is also a large part of the Washington National Guard's Homeland Response Force.

"It is a great unit, the soldiers are so diverse in their skills, everyone brings something to the table and they genuinely like being together at drill," Dykes said.

That worked well for the unit, which spent four days together, driving the 2,600 mile round-trip journey from Spokane to Camp Roberts. In total, the unit had a combined 52,000 miles driving.

"I just can say enough about the professionalism of the unit and the soldiers. I am proud of the 'Road chiefs' and what they did during this exercise," Dykes said.