Illinois National Guard Regional Training Institute Gets New Commander

During an Army Change of Command ceremony, the focus is on the outgoing commander with the exiting commander receiving an award and gifts from the Soldiers in the unit.
During the Illinois Army National Guard's 129th Regiment (Regional Training Institute) Change of Command ceremony on Oct. 18, outgoing commander Col. Shawn Nokes of Springfield instead deflected attention away from himself and placed it on the Soldiers of the unit - and even on the incoming commander, Col. Paul Metzdorff of Bloomington.
"I'm so proud of YOUR achievements" during his two years in command, said Nokes during the ceremony at the unit's headquarters on Camp Lincoln in Springfield. In those two years, the unit trained over 1,000 Soldiers; graduated 64 officer candidates; achieved excellent reviews in four of the seven Army Enterprise Accreditation Standards; held the first Adjutant General's Modern Army Combative Tournament in five years; established a sister command relationship with the Polish military's Territorial Defense Force; advanced the relationship between the Territorial Defense Force and the LITPOLUKR (Lithuanian-Polish-Ukrainian) Multi-National Brigade, and achieved a 100 percent retention rate.
Nokes praised all the noncommissioned officers (NCOs) in the unit, especially the two NCOs who served as the commandants of the 129th Regiment during his tenure as commander. Command Sgt. Maj. Jonathan Genisio retired in April after more than 30 years of military service. Command Sgt. Maj. Richard Carroll, formerly the 404th Maneuver Enhancement Brigade's command sergeant major, has been the top NCO for the 129th Regiment since Genisio's retirement.
Nokes went beyond listing the achievements of his Soldiers - he also gave out some awards of his own. Sgt. 1st Class Kayla Alberstett, a senior instructor in the 92G (culinary specialist) program, won the "Gordon Ramsay Award" in recognition of "creating a high-pressure environment that forges excellence and occasionally inspires existential dread." Nokes spent two days cooking with the 92G course, during which Alberstett warned him twice that he was "going to cut your fingers off."
The outgoing commander discussed how much he enjoyed participating in the motor transport operator (88M) course with senior instructor Sgt. 1st Class Cody Fagan, the "best driver in the RTI," and how he looks forward to seeing all the training packages the 88M team "rolls out" in the coming months.
The Signal Support Systems Specialist (25U) course instructors each spent extra days teaching in the RTI's military occupational skill course or in the 25U Advanced Leaders Course. "Some of you spent well over 100 days here. Your professionalism and dedication to the success of the 25U (program) will have a lasting impression for years to come."
Nokes presented Staff Sgt. Aaron Barnett, an instructor in the 25U course, with a signed kickball in honor of Barnett "kicking my butt" in the standing power throw during two Army Combat Fitness Tests. Barnett's final throw "still hasn't landed yet," Nokes said.
Even Metzdorff received some "RTI swag" from Nokes, including a "Train to Lead" jersey. But as much as Nokes tried to deflect attention away from himself, he didn't depart with empty hands.
Brig. Gen. Lenny Williams, the Commander of the Illinois Army National Guard, presented Nokes with the Legion of Merit for his stellar performance commanding the 129th Regiment for two years. Nokes delivered outstanding results and empowered his noncommissioned officers to make positive changes to the unit, Williams said. Nokes was also presented with a plaque representing the 129th Regiment and its subordinate units during the change of command.
The unit runs multiple Army courses including military occupation skill (MOS) courses in motor transportation, culinary arts, and information technology as well as an officer candidate school and other courses and training teams that increase the Army's readiness.
Metzdorff praised Nokes' "genuine care for Soldiers," which he demonstrated throughout his command. He said he will emulate many of Nokes' leadership traits as he puts his own stamp on the 129th Regiment. His vision is to improve the unit and the courses it offers, improve the Soldier experience at the institution, and "support our units in the field."
"The RTI is already outstanding, but there are always areas to improve," Metzdorff said. The institution will look to expand the courses it offers and refine its existing courses, he said.
To improve the Soldier experience, Metzdorff said he will invest in its facilities, further resource the unit's instructors and course managers, and listen to and act upon feedback from the students.
The RTI will establish more mobile training teams and leverage the expertise and knowledge of the RTI NCOs to increase the unit's responsiveness to the training needs of field units, Metzdorff said.
"We can elevate the 129th RTI to even greater heights," Metzdorff said. "I am excited to embark on this journey with all of you Train to lead!"