Missouri Guard detachment has one last hurrah as it prepares for deployment

Missouri National Guard Pfc. Keith Stalnaker, of Rolla, guards an entry control point with his M-4 rifle during pre-deployment training for third platoon, 548th Transportation Company, of Centertown, at Camp Clark, Nevada.
(Photo by Matthew J. Wilson)

By Matthew J. Wilson
Ngmo.pao@US.ARMY.MIL

NEVADA, Mo. - After spending 12 years at the Missouri National Guard armory in Centertown, Detachment 1 of 548th Transportation Company is having one last hurrah as it prepares for deployment at Camp Clark.

The detachment has left the now closed Centertown armory and merged into its main company, the 548th Transportation Company, of Trenton, as the company's third platoon.

The move has been difficult on some of the 45-person platoon's Veteran members.

"It's very disappointing," said Sgt. 1st Class Scott Seib, who has been in the detachment for six years. "This is the best platoon I've ever been in. We became Family and are a very tight-knit group. If you watch us train, we know exactly what the others are doing. We won't let anybody disturb us, no matter what.

"When we leave, we've all agreed to check in on each other and follow each other's paths."

Once Guardsmen from third platoon return from their deployment, they'll have the option of staying with the unit in Trenton, or going to a unit closer to their individual homes.

"It's kind of a bittersweet moment - you don't want it to go away," said Staff Sgt. Charles Peel, who is one of four squad leaders in the platoon. "But that's the National Guard - changes happen and you have to adapt and overcome.

"We have a pretty tight little Family there in Centertown and we're going to try to do our best to stay together."

The entire company is scheduled to depart Monday for Fort Bliss, Texas, for about a month more of training before it heads to Afghanistan for a year-long deployment.

The mission of the third platoon, led by platoon leader 1st Lt. James Fountain, is expected to be transportation all types of equipment, food, water, ammunition and other types of supplies throughout the Afghanistan theater. Their trucks have a self-loading and unloading capability for their demountable flat cargo beds.

The company recently completed its nearly month-long reserve component unit training at Camp Clark.

Seib, the platoon's sergeant and its senior noncommissioned officer on the deployment, said the training was outstanding.

"They constantly keep us busy so there is not much room for thinking about home constantly," said Seib, who lives in Jefferson City. "During the night, we get time to call back home to make sure our Families are good. But during the day, the instructors constantly make us aware of the training and keep us focused."

Seib, who previously deployed to Iraq with the 1221st Transportation Company of Dexter, from 2003-2004, said he's proud of the way his troops have responded to the training.

Peel, who has been in the Missouri Guard for 22 years, said the platoon has displayed a high level of motivation throughout their training.

"They come in and are eager and excited to train," said Peel, who lives in Mexico. "They are willing to take on any task that is given to them."

Instructors from the Missouri Guard's Training and Evaluation Battalion have been teaching the company basic Army skills, from first aid to weapon systems operations, as well as tactics, techniques and procedures for reacting to improvised explosives devices and small arms fire while in a truck convoy or defending a forward operating base.

"This, by far, has been the best a training a Soldier could ask for," Peel said. "The trainers that they have here are seasoned Veterans and they are bringing to us the experiences that they've had in combat situations and they are training us to the standards that are happening in Afghanistan right now."

For Peel, this will be his second deployment with the Guard after going to Iraq from 2004-2005 with Company A, 735th Main Support Battalion, of Nevada. Although he's seen the training before, he noted that much had changed.

"Some of the tactics that we had when we were over there in 2004 have changed tremendously," he said.

Not only is the training itself valuable, but it's also built cohesion within the unit.

"I'd say the most important thing has been the teamwork," said Staff Sgt. Larry Wyrick, who lives at Lake Ozark. "Everybody is bonding and coming together, so when we get to Afghanistan, it's just going to be one big Family."

As a Guardsman, Wyrick said sometimes it can be difficult to build that camaraderie among Soldiers that normally work together for one weekend a month.

"I think we're doing a good job," said Wyrick, who is preparing for his first deployment after four years in the Guard. "I think we got a lot of good training out of it. We're proud to serve Missouri."

Pfc. Keith Stalnaker, who lives in Rolla, expects the platoon's mission to be challenging.

"It's going to be dangerous - we're constantly on the road, which puts you at risk," Stalnaker said. "But I'm not really concerned about the danger. I put that in the back of my mind. It's just part of the job and you know about the dangers when you sign up.

"The job will be rewarding because we get the supplies out and help continue other missions."

The training Stalnaker has received has bolstered his confidence in himself and his unit.

"I'm at combat speed - I can do things pretty fast," said Stalnaker, who also is preparing for his first deployment. "It's basically been building up my muscle memory."

The field training has been Stalnaker's favorite part.

"I'm not really a classroom-type of person," he said. "I like infantry-based training where we are out in the field."

Pfc. Dylan Harris, who lives in Salem, said the most important things he's gained from the training has been getting some time behind the wheel of the platoon's trucks.

"I've only driven the Palletized Load System since I've been here for training," Harris said. "It's a lot different kind of vehicle than driving any other kind of equipment."

Harris said he's learned some of the vehicle's advantages and its limitations.

"You can't go into tight areas at all - the steering is challenging on them," Harris said. "And you can't pick up speed as fast as you'd want to."

Pfc. Aaron Cassil, who lives in California, said he trained with the Palletized Load System's loading and unloading capabilities in January at advanced individual training, but also was glad to get more experience behind the wheel through this training.

"Convoying more and getting out in the trucks and reacting to indirect fire and improvised explosive devices has been great training," Cassil said. "Everything is still pretty new to me."

Although there has been a lot to absorb, Cassil praised the instructors for making the training easy to follow.

"It really isn't too bad," Cassil said. "They do a good job of making sure you understand."

Although he knows the mission ahead will be tough, Cassil, who has been in the Guard a year, said he couldn't think of a better time for him to deploy.

"I'm sure it's going to be harder on some other people because they are married," he said. "Me, I'm young, not married yet and don't have hardly any bills right now. So it's going to be easier for me than what its' going to be for some people."

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