FORT SHAFTER, Hawaii - Throughout his short military career, Sgt. Reshea Thomas has earned numerous distinguished honors that reflect exceptional service. His impressive accolades not only indicate a journey of personal success but also a significant contribution to the military community.
Thomas, a 21-year-old wheeled vehicle mechanic assigned to the Forward Sustainment Company, 84th Engineer Battalion, 130th Engineer Brigade, 8th Theater Sustainment Command, emphasizes the importance of preparation.
Hailing from Florida, Thomas quickly understood the importance of early preparation while attending Tampa Bay Technical High School where he enrolled in a trade class focused on becoming a mechanic. In 2021, at 17, he solidified his career path and promptly enlisted in the Army.
“In high school, I was studying mechanics, and I always wanted to be in the Army since I saw the Army commercials,” said Thomas. “I decided to pursue a mechanic job in the military and chose to be a 91 bravo, wheeled vehicle mechanic.”
After enlisting, he underwent basic training at Fort Jackson, South Carolina. Later at Fort Gregg-Adams, Virginia, for advanced individual training his outstanding performance was particularly evident earning the title of distinguished honor graduate.
“At the end of the course, I saw my hard work pay off; I was honored as the distinguished honor graduate out of everyone in my class,” said Tomas.
After landing in Hawaii for his first assignment, he applied the same commitment during training to the FSC on Schofield Barracks, Hawaii.
“I met Thomas when he was Private First Class Thomas," said Staff Sgt. Steven Jones, a platoon sergeant for FSC, 84th Engineer Battalion. "During that time, he had a come-up story, consistently strong physically, leading from the front as our go-to mechanic, striving to ensure everything is done to standard.”
Showing that hard work pays off, he continues to learn and train with his fellow battle buddies, so they all exceed the standards.
“He tactfully tells us when we're doing something wrong, inspiring us with his knowledge and critical thinking,” said Jones. “Thomas is a phenomenal NCO, a go-to person for any chain of command, unit, or organization.”
As Thomas advanced through the ranks, he noticed that several of his colleagues were leaving their positions, creating vacancies that needed to be filled. Without hesitation, and with the support of his wife, who is also a Soldier, Thomas dedicated himself to preparing for the promotion board in October 2023.
“I noticed that many of my peers didn't want to stay in, so I stepped up at the time, studying for it since I was a PFC (private first class), and after seven months, I got my promotable status,” said Thomas.
Being considered the team leader out of the mechanics, Thomas continued to improve by attending multiple schools and volunteering to go on a three-month rotation to Australia in support of 8th TSC where he was awarded the Army Achievement Medal for his performance.
“I've been here for two years, and I've definitely been able to be a part of his development,” said Sgt. 1st Class. Jorge Molina, a section sergeant at the FSC, 84th Engineer Battalion. “He takes on challenging tasks and impressively accomplishes them without explicit instructions.”
When the opportunity came to attend the Basic Leadership Course in 2024, he rose to the occasion, becoming the distinguished honor graduate once more. He was later recognized with a coin of excellence for being best in his class by Maj. Gen. Gavin Gardner, commanding general of the 8th TSC.
“I was informed by Staff Sgt. Steven Jones, that Maj. Gen. Gavin Gardner was supposed to be at the graduation ceremony but couldn't attend, so he visited me later to present me with a coin,” said Thomas. “During our interaction, he challenged me to a push-up competition, which acknowledged my efforts in preparing other Soldiers for Basic Leader Course.”
No matter the circumstance, Thomas never wants to become complacent. Aside from being a noncommissioned officer, he recently took on the additional duties of environmental compliance officer, and chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear specialist for his company, all while completing the Army’s Level 1 combatives class.
“He's been to over 10 schools and … he’s met the rigors of those challenges,” said Molina. “He is always looking to learn and challenge himself to be the best he can be.”
Although Thomas is young in his career, he continues to succeed regardless of the circumstances and remains dedicated to preparing for his next goals of promoting to staff sergeant and submitting his packet for Army Special Forces.
Social Sharing