Student of the Year Award
2007-2008 Recipient
Benjamin Shepherd
Shepherd, originally from Reidsville, North Carolina, was named the University Transportation Centers Student of the Year for 2008 Jan. 12 at the Transportation Research Board meeting in Washington, D.C.
Shepherd is enrolled at the University of Utah under the Army's Advance Civil Schooling program. He is currently pursuing a master's of civil engineering and doing research at the UDOT Traffic Operations Center in Salt Lake City. Shepherd earned a B.S. degree in engineering management from the United States Military Academy, West Point, NY, in 2001.
Shepherd served with the 18th Field Artillery Brigade (Airborne) at Fort Bragg, NC from 2002 to 2007. He was deployed to Mosul, Iraq from 2003 to 2004 and Tikrit, Iraq from 2005 to 2006.
He has past work experience as headquarters and headquarters battery commander from 2004 to 2007. He was responsible for morale, welfare, and training of a 75-person artillery battery deployed to Tikrit, Iraq. As brigade fire control officer, Shepherd controlled all artillery and rocket fires for a field artillery brigade consisting of 54 155mm howitzer cannons and 18 multiple-launch rocket systems.
He also managed hazardous and explosive brigade ammunition assets. From 2002 to 2004, he was battalion fire direction officer where he planned, coordinated and controlled all fires for an 18-gun artillery battalion and prepared operations orders for battalion-level training events and real-world deployments. He also held the positions of battery fire direction officer, platoon leader, and executive officer.
Shepherd has received numerous awards and decorations including two Bronze Star Medals, Army Commendation Medal, Army Achievement Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Iraqi Campaign Medal, Army Service Ribbon, and National Defense Service Ribbon.
