CAMP ARIFJAN, Kuwait – Soldiers with 140th Movement Control Team, 419th Movement Control Battalion, 1st Infantry Division Sustainment Brigade earned recognition for their hard work at Camp Arifjan throughout August 2015.
Since deploying, five Soldiers with the 140th MCT earned commemorative coins for their hard work and dedication. The 140th MCT arrived at Camp Arifjan to support Operation Freedom’s Sentinel in June 2015.
Pfc. Africa Boyd earned a coin for being named hero of the week, Pvt. Richard Garcia received the 1st Theater Sustainment Command commander’s coin, Spc. Holly Gibson earned a coin for being named hero of the week in August and received the 4th Expeditionary Sustainment Command commander’s coin for becoming 1st Infantry Division Sustainment Brigade’s soldier of the month, Spc. Jack Flack received the 143rd ESC commander and command sergeant major’s coin and Sgt. Benjamin Westbrook received a coin from the Army and Air Force Exchange Service Europe/Southwest Asia senior enlisted advisor, Sgt. Maj. Keith Craig.
Receiving an Army coin means different things to different Soldiers.
“It means all the hard work I did to push AAFES’ cargo within the U.S. Central Command’s area of operations contributed to opening up three new stores in Iraq,” said Westbrook, an 140th MCT movements noncommissioned officer and a native of Montgomery, Alabama.
Some Soldiers work hard for reasons personal to them.
“I didn’t do this to get something out of it. I did my best earning [the coin]. My family is very proud. I’m very proud of myself and the recognition from everybody. I was very surprised I got it,” said Garcia, 140th MCT movements specialist and a native of Santa Fe, New Mexico.
Other Soldiers were honored by the recognition and appreciation shown by the Army when they received their coin.
“It just means that what we’re doing on a day-to-day basis is recognized at the highest levels,” said Flack, 140th movements specialist and native of Port Washington, Wisconsin. “It’s a nice gesture. It’s a nice piece of hardware to remember that transaction or that moment when it kind of all comes together.”
Coins have become a common way for units and military organizations to honor Soldiers. Soldiers enter a long-standing military tradition when they earn their first coin.
“It was a really proud moment for me,” stated Boyd, 140th movements specialist and native of Atlanta, “because I felt like the hard work paid off.”
“It’s a big thing for me. I know some people have a bunch [of coins], and they think, ‘Oh hey, I got another coin,’ but it’s just something I really wanted. Now, I finally have one,” she said.
The earning of an Army coin represents a distinct impact that each Soldier makes during their career.
“Receiving the coin makes me more humble, because it teaches me that I did a really good job, but I don’t need to publicize it,” said Gibson, 140th movements specialist, supply clerk and native of Toledo, Ohio. “It means I’ve worked really hard. I have integrity doing my job, and it feels good.”