Photo By Sgt. 1st Class Kelvin Ringold | Cpl. Donte Ferguson, HHC, 13th ESC, receives praise from his platoon after graduating...... read more read more
FORT HOOD — In the military, the people you meet, friends you make and people you work with become your Family. There are many close knit sections around units in the military. These service members spend so much time together, through the early mornings and late nights, they are truly a Family. There may be no closer group who consider themselves a Family more than those working the long, hard hours in the motorpool.
After being in the Army Reserves for two years, Indianapolis, Indiana native Cpl. Donte Ferguson, a 42A human resource specialist with Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 13th Sustainment Command, decided to make the switch to the regular component in May 2017.
“I didn’t travel much growing up and I knew being in the Army would allow me to,” Ferguson said. “I was also a daredevil and took pride in doing the things people around me weren’t brave enough to do.”
Soldiers in his military occupational specialty can go to a lot of units and sections in the Army and Ferguson is glad he ended up with the team he has now.
“I love being part of the motorpool,” Ferguson explained. “I view the guys I work with as my brothers.”
Wanting to be a noncommissioned officer has always driven Ferguson, and moving closer to his goal is something that sticks with him today.
“I remember being a first time go at the promotion board,” Ferguson recalled. “Because it was the first board I ever went to and I earned my promotable status. That was a great feeling.”
Having already set himself apart from his peers since he arrived at the unit, Ferguson was pinned corporal in September 2019.
“I felt a step closer to my short-term goal which was to become a sergeant,” Ferguson said.
A corporal is considered a noncommissioned officer, but Ferguson had the opportunity to earn what he needed to potentially finally become a sergeant.
During the second week of January 2020, Ferguson was finally able to attend the Fort Hood Basic Leader Course.
As with everything Ferguson has accomplished so far in his career, he successfully completed the course on Jan. 31, and gained valuable insight that will help him in the future.
“BLC was a goal of mine and feels great achieving something on your list of goals,” Ferguson said. “I’ve also obtained knowledge on how to manage situations I’ll take with me to the next level.”
Now just waiting to pin-on sergeant on the next step in his Army journey, Ferguson shows no signs of slowing down.
“I am looking forward to completing my Bachelor's Degree in Logistics Management, making effective leaders out of my Soldiers and continuing to study for my next promotion board,” Ferguson said.
Ferguson always likes to keep his options open and has another goal he wants for himself in the future.
“I also see myself as a warrant officer,” Ferguson said.
Although Ferguson enjoys the time he spends with his Army Family, he has a Family of his own he cherishes at the end of the day.
Ferguson met his wife of almost two years, Jeri, here at, “The Great Place.” They share the same MOS and also share the same motivation for putting on the uniform every day.
“My motivation to get up early every day is my son, Donte Jr.,” Ferguson said.
There is no doubt Ferguson’s drive and determination will take him far in his career or whatever he decides to do in life. For 1st Sgt. Terrance Porter, HHC, 13th ESC, he knows more than most how great of a Soldier Ferguson is, and sees his potential.
“He has a strong passion to motivate others to do their best,” Porter said. “Not a day goes by he isn’t pushing his peers to achieve the mission at hand. He even motivates me as his first sergeant.”
| Date Taken: | 02.26.2020 |
| Date Posted: | 02.25.2020 21:43 |
| Story ID: | 363897 |
| Location: | FORT HOOD, TEXAS, US |
| Web Views: | 46 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Motorpool corporal leads the pack at ‘Lucky 13th’, by SFC Kelvin Ringold, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
No keywords found.
