Fort Wood Drill Sergeant Performs a Thankful Act

(Fort Leonard Wood)–A rural Waynesville motorist has something to be thankful for this Thanksgiving. On October 23rd at about 6 o’ clock in the evening, he was driving down a hillside on T-highway when his red pickup truck flipped three times.
Travelling up the hill was Staff Sergeant Ian Phillips, a drill sergeant with Company B, 787th MP Battalion at Fort Leonard Wood. Phillips pulled over and called 9-1-1 before approaching the vehicle, which had come to rest back on its wheels after hitting the barrier on Phillips’ side of the road.
The red pickup driver was conscious, but it looked like he was bleeding from his face. He was trying to take his seatbelt off and Phillips told him not to try to move, there was an ambulance on the way.
Phillips said he stayed to provide a statement for the police, and that’s when he found out the truck had been hit by another vehicle, which caused the rollover.
“I didn’t see it from my angle,” he said. “I thought he must’ve been going too fast on the turn, but he actually got hit from behind.”
As a courtesy, Phillips then called his unit to let them know about his role as a witness to the accident, in case it later showed up in the police blotter.
The next day, Phillips was informed that he was put in for an Army Achievement Medal for his actions that evening.
Bravo Company 1st Sergeant Angelica Lopez called Phillips a professional, who helps maintain a positive command climate in the unit while always looking for ways to improve the training experience. She said his decisive actions and attention to detail that night was a demonstration of the Soldier’s commitment, not just to fellow service members, but also the community.
Phillips, who has been an MP for eight years and a drill sergeant a little more than six months, said his ability to remain calm at the accident was helped by his Army training and a lot of repetition.