Command Sgt. Maj. James Spencer (left), command sergeant major, 16th Sustainment Brigade, congratulates Spc. Jonathan Patton (right), gun truck driver, 70th Transportation Co., 391st Combat Sustainment Support Battalion, for earning the 'Warrior of the Quarter' title at the 16th Sust. Bde. 'Warrior and Warrior Leader of the Quarter' board at Contingency Operating Base Q-West, Iraq April 22. Sgt. Ahmad Mahmoud (center), gun truck commander, 70th Transportation Co., 391st CSSB, earned the 'Warrior Leader of the Quarter' title. Both Soldiers earned Army commendation medals and will advance to the 3rd Expeditionary Sustainment Command board at Joint Base Balad. Photo by Sgt. Keith Anderson
Transportation Company Soldiers Conquer Brigade Quarter Board
Story by Sgt. Keith Anderson
Date: 04.28.2009
CONTINGENCY OPERATING BASE Q-WEST, Iraq — Twelve Soldiers from seven battalions around northern Iraq competed for the title of Warrior or Warrior Leader of the Quarter at the 16th Sustainment Brigade quarter board here April 22.
Soldiers began the day with a multiple-choice test on a wide range of Army topics in the morning, and then individually faced a panel of battalion command sergeants major, and Command Sgt. Maj. James Spencer, command sergeant major, 16th Sust. Bde.
In the board, Soldiers disassembled their weapons and answered questions on topics such as map reading, land navigation, combat lifesaver, Army customs and courtesies, current events, and several others. They also arranged military ribbons in the order of precedence, recited the "Creed of the Non-commissioned Officer," and sang the 3rd Expeditionary Sustainment Command song.
But one Mannheim, Germany-based transportation company from Contingency Operating Base Speicher outshone all the others at the quarter board. Soldiers from the 70th Transportation Co., 391st Combat Sustainment Support Battalion, 16th Sust. Bde., took home both brigade titles.
Spc. Jonathan Patton, gun truck driver, 70th Transportation Co., 391st CSSB, outshined five other battalion board winners to earn the Warrior of the Quarter title, and Sgt. Ahmad Mahmoud, gun truck commander, 70th Transportation Co., 391st CSSB, defeated five of his peers to earn the Warrior Leader of the Quarter title.
Both Soldiers will advance to the 3rd Expeditionary Sustainment Command's quarter board.
"It felt good to represent our command sergeant major and battalion and be a part of the great things we do," said Patton, a native of Ft. Worth, Texas.
The Warrior Leader of the Quarter, Mahmoud, a Houston, Texas, native, said he was already looking forward to the next board.
"I'm excited by the fact that I won, and I'm looking forward to the responsibility of representing the 16th Sustainment Brigade at the 3rd ESC board," Mahmoud said.
Mahmoud, who is Egyptian but in the process of getting American citizenship, said he came to the U.S. with his family when he was 12-years-old. He joined the Army in 2002 to travel, and is on his third deployment.
Mahmound also distinguished himself recently when he served on the 391st CSSB's team at the 3rd ESC's "Sustainer Challenge" at Joint Base Balad from March 18 to 19. His team finished third in the competition out of 22 teams, the highest finish for any 16th Sust. Bde. team, and placed first in the combatives portion of the competition.
Mahmoud said he was proud of his service in the Army, and wanted to make it a career, but he wanted to change jobs and become an Army linguist once he got full citizenship.
Staff Sgt. Carleuna Hawkins, who sponsored Patton and Mahmoud at the board, said she constantly quizzed the two to prepare them for the board.
"They had to carry index cards on them," said Hawkins, an Austin, Texas, native. "Regardless of what they were doing throughout the day, they'd get drilled, and they'd maintain their weapons and clean them every day."
Sgt. Ahmad Mahmoud, gun truck commander, 70th Transportation Co., 391st Combat Sustainment Support Battalion, 16th Sustainment Brigade, disassembles his M16 and answers questions from a panel of command sergeants major at the 16th Sust. Bde. 'Warrior and Warrior Leader of the Quarter' board at Contingency Operating Base Q-West, Iraq April 22. Mahmoud defeated five of his peers to earn the Warrior Leader of the Quarter title. Mahmoud, who is Egyptian but in the process of getting American citizenship, said he came to the U.S. with his family when he was 12-years-old. He joined the Army in 2002 to travel, and is on his third deployment. Photo by Sgt. Keith Anderson
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