Photo By Kendall Swank | Ian Catour, a sergeant first class in the Illinois Army National Guard as well as an...... read more read more
For more than 248 years, U.S. Army Soldiers and Civilians have created a proud legacy of service to the nation, the Constitution, their units and team members. For some of the workers at Rock Island Arsenal-Joint Manufacturing and Technology Center that legacy has lasted generations inside their own households.
“Military is always something I wanted to do,” Ian Catour, RIA-JMTC artillery repair work lead, said. “My dad served in the Army, my stepdad served in the Army and my mom actually worked here at RIA-JMTC. My stepmom worked across the street at Joint Munitions Command, so definitely had some Arsenal experience growing up.”
Rock Island Arsenal - Joint Manufacturing and Technology Center develops, manufactures and delivers readiness solutions through conventional and advanced manufacturing processes for the U.S. Army and Department of Defense systems globally.
The sergeant first class in the Illinois Army National Guard grew up in Moline, Illinois, and had a typical childhood filled with sports, fishing and hunting. Catour graduated from high school in 1995 but didn’t enlist until 2003. He planned to enter the Air Force but had setbacks along the way.
“I wasn’t planning on going to college or anything. I was planning on going into the military,” Catour said. “I had a high-pitch hearing loss so that kept me from going into the Air Force. I still had the itch of wanting to go into the military, then 9/11 happened and the U.S. entering two conflicts provided that opportunity.”
After enlisting, Catour entered basic training, where Soldiers go through an intense training schedule designed to reinforce the principles of discipline and teamwork; learn Army traditions and ethics; assemble, disassemble and care for their weapons; hand-to-hand combat and guerrilla exercises; tactical daylight marches, fitness training and more. He then studied to become a cannon crewmember and horizontal construction engineer during Advanced Individual Training. Like a trade school program, AIT teaches Soldiers the technical skills needed for their specific Army job.
Catour’s experience deploying in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom solidified the Army’s culture and heritage into his personal way of life, and he knew he wanted to serve as long as he could. In the spring of 2023, he passed his 20th year in the Illinois National Guard making him eligible to retire, but he plans to stay for several more years all while continuing his civilian role supporting the warfighter. At RIA-JMTC, that can be anything from grabbing parts to jumping in and helping out on a project.
“For me, especially being in the military, I have a huge sense of pride in the equipment that we build,” Catour said. “I have the personal experience and I know what the result is, and where it goes. I’ve seen some of it, I used some of it on the backside like all the artillery work we’ve done here, vehicles such as ambulance, Humvees and other tactical vehicles. So, it’s a big draw for me putting out quality equipment.”
Catour sees his work at the factory as serving a higher purpose, meaning RIA-JMTC isn’t manufacturing items used in the average household. He knows the equipment being produced in the factory could mean life of death for U.S. Soldiers, Sailors, Marines and Airmen, some of who he as a personal relationship with. He’s proud to serve his country and to be part of the Army heritage because it’s team over individual.
“I always thought serving in the military but also working for the federal government on the civilian side was my unique connection to the legacy of the Army,” Catour said. “I carry that responsibility with me even away from work.”
| Date Taken: | 06.29.2023 |
| Date Posted: | 06.29.2023 16:47 |
| Story ID: | 448333 |
| Location: | ROCK ISLAND ARSENAL, IL, US |
| Hometown: | MOLINE, IL, US |
| Hometown: | ROCK ISLAND ARSENAL, IL, US |
| Web Views: | 119 |
| Downloads: | 1 |
This work, Army heritage shines through multiple generations of RIA-JMTC employees, by Kendall Swank, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
No keywords found.
LEAVE A COMMENT