Men help family of motor pool mentor

When mechanic Zach Thomas and Motor Sgt. Brian Dickerson, both of Washington, think of their deployment to Iraq in 2005 with the 134th Medical Company, they will remember that many soldiers were able to travel in the country due to the tireless work of Staff Sgt. Lloyd Phillips.

Members of the motor pool, Thomas and Dickerson worked closely with Phillips to keep the motorized vehicles running in spite of the arid conditions of the country. Right before the company deployed in 2005, Phillips had joined the motor pool at Fort Sill. He had previously been a medic during Operation Desert Storm. When the time came to re-deploy, Phillips had requested to deploy with the motor pool, due to his mechanical background.

?He owned his own shop in Indianola,? Dickerson said. ?We welcomed him to the motor pool and the knowledge that he brought, in my opinion, made us one of the best motor pools in Iraq.?

Dickerson said that the motor pool had only sent one vehicle out to be repaired. The company ended up having to go and get the vehicle and fix it themselves.

Phillips, 54, of New Virginia, died at his home after a long battle with cancer, on Sept. 24, 2014.

In honor of Phillips, Thomas and Dickerson are setting up a fundraiser to aid Phillips? family. Dickerson said the family has expenses due to the disease, and that Phillips has a 14-year-old daughter who is still in school. Dickerson hopes to raise enough money to help her get through college.

Beginning at 5 p.m. on Nov. 1, a barbecue benefit will be held at the National Guard Readiness Center. The event will also include an auction. Donations can be made at Federation Bank.

Thomas remembers Phillips as the new team leader who had taken over repairs in the motor pool. He remembers the sergeant who treated his men like family and was willing to show his men any kind of repair, with the condition they try it themselves. Sometimes, Thomas remembers, Phillips would have the soldiers try to figure a problem out themselves as a way of learning.

?His son Kevin was in our unit also,? Thomas said. ?I knew Kevin just from being in Washington. They lived here for a while and went to high school here.?

When Phillips lived in Washington, he worked as a mechanic for Capper Ford. He later ran the body shop.

After the deployment ended, Thomas, Dickerson and Phillips kept in touch. They tried to meet once a month, and the three would always fight over the check. Dickerson said that lifelong friendships are built when soldiers live and work that closely for that long. It was during a training event in 2008 that Thomas and Dickerson learned that Phillips had cancer.

Phillips went through treatments. Originally, he beat the disease, but it came back a couple of years later. The disease spread through his body. Dickerson and Thomas, being family friends with the Phillipses, were among the first to find out he had passed.

?Lloyd gave so much to so many,? Dickerson said. ?You couldn?t ask for a better person or a more honest person. This is just to give back to him for what he gave to so many.?

For more information, contact Joyce Dickerson at 319-461-6197.