170th IBCT soldier named Engineer Soldier of the Year

Photo By Spc. Nathan Goodall | Spc. Devin Fox, a Columbus, Neb., native, now a team leader with A Company, 40th Engineer Battalion, 170th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, was named Engineer Soldier of the Year when he won the Van Autreve Award during an award luncheon at Fort Leonard Wood, Mo., April 21, 2012.  

BAUMHOLDER, RP, GERMANY

05.02.2012

Story by Spc. Nathan Goodall 

170th Infantry Brigade Combat Team

BAUMHOLDER, Germany – A soldier with 170th Infantry Brigade Combat Team was named Engineer Soldier of the Year during an award luncheon at Fort Leonard Wood, Mo., April 21.

Spc. Devin Fox, a Columbus, Neb., native, now a team leader with A Company, 40th Engineer Battalion, 170th IBCT, received the Van Autreve Award from the U.S. Army Engineer School, earning with it the title of Engineer Soldier of the Year in the active Army.

The Van Autreve Award, named in honor of former Sgt. Maj. of the Army Leon Van Autreve, is given to combat engineers that display exemplary values and meritorious service.

Fox’s leaders started a Van Autreve Award submission packet for him during his deployment to Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom 11-12. Submission packets list a soldier’s accomplishments and reasons why that soldier should receive the award.

Fox quickly started building up accomplishments for his packet during the deployment. When he arrived in Afghanistan, he took responsibility of a struggling company arms room and transformed it into a functioning operation.

After establishing himself as a capable armorer, he went back to his platoon where he took on the role of the platoon leader’s driver.

Further into the deployment, when his platoon was altered to act solely as force protection, he spent every day guarding the base.

While a strong work ethic and dedication to other soldiers got Fox in the race, it was his performance at a company-level board, a rigorous interview process given by company leadership to test a soldier’s mettle and knowledge, that earned him the nomination for the award, said Fox.

Once nominated, Fox’s submission packet was sent to higher levels of competition where it stood out and earned him the win.

“He’s a highly motivated specialist,” said Sgt. Antonio Hatcher, a Jacksonville, Fla., native, now a squad leader with A Company and Fox’s direct supervisor. “I was pushing for him to go and win it, he deserves it.”

Van Autreve has been a source of inspiration to Fox. When Van Autreve was sergeant major of the Army, he changed the face of the non-commissioned officer corps by developing the Non-commissioned Officer Education System and strongly encouraging the professional and moral development of every NCO and soldier.

As a team leader, Fox is already exhibiting the leadership that the Award and Van Autreve himself represent. He helps the soldiers on his team not just during the duty week, but in his off time and on the weekends as well, Fox said.

“I place [my soldiers’] needs above my own,” Fox said. “I will always be there to help them get through any issues.”

Winning the award has set Fox’s sights toward the future and given him the fuel he needs to accomplish his goals.

“I’m looking to go higher, become an NCO and take care of the soldiers underneath me,” Fox said. “And hopefully someday I can help someone else that is under me to also receive the Van Autreve Award.”

• Date Taken: 05.02.2012
• Date Posted: 05.02.2012 08:32
• Story ID: 87722
• Location: BAUMHOLDER, RP, DE