Why do the Army Reserve Soldiers of the 143rd work so hard to keep their skills sharp? Because the Army may one day depend on them to perform their jobs during an actual mission.

Soldiers in the Army Reserve receive ongoing training not only for their specific job duties but for all Soldiering skills, including marksmanship, communication and safety. This means that, whether deployed in the United States or overseas, Army Reserve Soldiers are trained and ready to serve.

The 143rd Transportation Command is made up of around 870 Soldiers from four states (FL, GA, AL and NC). Many of these Soldiers have prior military experience and were involved in the first Gulf War. Soldiers' jobs range from truck drivers and lawyers to cooks and clerks.

Some Soldiers, including MSG Timothy Osborn, served in the Active Duty Army for many years. Soldiers like this are invaluable in the Army Reserve because they can pass on much of their Army knowledge to their fellow Army Reserve Soldiers.

Many Soldiers in the 143rd attended Advanced Individual Training (AIT) at the Transportation School in Fort Eustis, VA. Jobs trained at the Transportation School include:

• Cargo Specialist (88H)
• Motor Transport Operator (88M)
• Railway Equipment Repairer (88P)
• Railway Operations Crewmember (88U)
• Railway Section Repairer (88T)
• Watercraft Engineer (88L)
• Watercraft Operator (88K)