Honoring a Legend: Monica Simoncini

CAMP DARBY, Italy— Recognizing a remarkable 40-year career, the 839th
Transportation Battalion inducted Monica Simoncini as the first member of the 839th
Distinguished Surface Warrior Lifetime Achievement Wall on July 16, 2026, at Camp
Darby.
Simoncini retired from the 839th Transportation Battalion Headquarters in October
2024\. She spent her entire professional life supporting the global deployment and
distribution enterprise throughout Europe and Africa. She is one of many Italian, Greek
and Turkish local national teammates within the 839th who faithfully serve for decades
within the formation, ensuring readiness and expertise executing the U.S. Army
Transportation Command (ARTRANS) mission to deliver joint combat power and
sustainment where required.
Simoncini, who ultimately became the cargo control manager for the battalion in the
839th operations section, built her transportation expertise from the ground up.
Throughout her career, she demonstrated a deep commitment to the mission of the
organizations pre-dating ARTRANS, starting with the Military Traffic Management
Command (MTMC) in 1985 and concluding her service under the Surface Deployment
and Distribution Command (SDDC).
“Monica Simoncini is the epitome of an expert and a professional,” said Lt. Col. Aaron
Hiatt, 839th Transportation Battalion commander. “Throughout her 40-year career, she
ensured my predecessors fulfilled their mission and served as the continuity to a
formation with a revolving cast of leadership. She served under 20 battalion
commanders and built a reputation that has lived on beyond her retirement. Monica
Simoncini is the emblematic giant that has enabled the 839th to achieve a history of
great feats, all accomplished on the foundation for which she largely established and
maintained.”
Beginning her government career in May 1985 as a clerk-typist in a Non-Appropriated
Funds office supporting the Morale Support Activity, Simoncini quickly transitioned into a
permanent role with the 1321st Medium Port Command, MTMC. Over the next four
decades, she steadily advanced through multiple roles, taking immense pride in
mentoring military personnel and participating in high-level planning for commanders
and the combatant commands during both contingency and peacetime operations.
Her extensive operational knowledge made her an invaluable asset across multiple
functional areas. She was part of a select group of strategic transportation specialists
tasked with developing the Global Air Transportation Execution System (GATES). This
multi-year effort required deep knowledge of port operations and adherence to
established doctrine, involving extensive collaboration with system developers at SDDC
Headquarters.
“I spent most of my life doing my job with pleasure and really enjoying what I do. You
must do your job the best you can and that’s just the way it is.” Simoncini said. “I will
always hold the memories from my job dear to my heart and remember all of the people
I have met during my time with the SDDC.”
Throughout her career, Simoncini traveled the globe to support numerous named
operations, missions, port openings and exercises, including Operation Desert Shield
and Operation Desert Storm, Kosovo Force (KFOR) deployments, Exercise Bright Star
in Egypt, and support to Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom,
along with countless others.
Simoncini was a remarkable asset and teammate within the 839th Transportation
Battalion and is highly deserving of this recognition for her lifetime of achievements.