Distinguished Honor Graduate Sgt. Mahlon Kerwick and Honor Graduate Pfc. Gabriel Brus were the first to receive their diplomas Kerwick was also the student leader for Phase II while Sgt. Juan Araiza was the student leader for Phase I. Both received plaques from Sgt. 1st Class Monterey Herrera, the course manager, and Sgt. 1st Class Nelson Cordova, the chief instructor. The other graduates, who arrived from around the country, were as follows. Spc. Kevin Alexander Spc. Daniel Alvarez Spc. Estevan Benavidez Sgt. Donald Crusoe Sgt. Steven Dalquist Cpl. Corey Gilles Spc. Diego Giraldo Spc. Steven Luper Cpl. Patrick Paine Spc. Dakota Shaw Sgt. Mark Sykes Sgt. Josiah Waitrovich Spc. Arron Barela, the lone New Mexican in the course, was excused from the ceremony because his wife had given birth to a baby boy June 14, which is also the U.S. Army’s birthday. Barela is assigned to the 720th Transportation Company. Herrera chose Staff Sgt. Eric Rosas, the Instructor of the Cycle, to deliver the keynote address. Rosas congratulated the graduates on their hard work during the month-long course and urged them to take what they learned back to their units. Staff Sgt. Timothy Evans, another instructor, served as the master of ceremonies. Sgt. 1st Class Eric Regensberg and Sgt. 1st Class John Crespin are the senior instructors. The remaining instructors are Staff Sergeants Leo Aguillon, Eli Castellano and Jason Guthrie. All of the cadre are assigned to 2nd Battalion (General Studies), 515th Regiment (RTI). Although RTI senior leaders were unavailable for the graduation, leaders from the 615th Transportation Battalion stepped in to fill the gap. Maj. Mario Chaparro, Maj. Peter Romero and Capt. Jessica Sedillo attended the ceremony to honor their fellow transporters.
