Illinois National Guard Officer Who Led Unit's Southwest Border Mission Earns MacArthur Leadership Award

Capt. Elizabeth Mead of Williamsville, the commander of the Illinois Army National Guard's East St. Louis-based 1844th Transportation Company, was awarded the U.S. Army's General Douglas MacArthur Leadership Award, one of only seven National Guard officers to receive the award nationwide.
Mead led her unit's deployment to the Southwest Border from October 2022, returning just two days before Thanksgiving 2023. As Mead, her husband, Matthew, and their five children gathered around a 20-pound turkey at her in-laws in 2023, she knew she had a lot to be grateful for.
She was home after a year full of leadership challenges, both foreseen and unforeseen. And still the 1844th Transportation Co. Soldiers pulled together behind their commander, backed by a core of strong NCOs.
"She built a cohesive 125-Soldier team that did excellent work in its assigned missions and also volunteered in the communities where they were situated," said Maj. Gen. Rodney Boyd, The Adjutant General of Illinois and Commander of the Illinois National Guard. "The 1844th Soldiers accumulated more than 4,500 volunteer hours during the deployment. She guided her Soldiers' military and personal development. Her Soldiers completed more than 40 military certifications and 780 college credit hours. Ninety-six percent of the unit emerged from the deployment completely debt-free."
Capt. Mead was "met with many challenges during her deployment that no officer should have to face," Col. Beth Roxworthy, the 34th Infantry Division Sustainment Brigade Commander, wrote in the MacArthur award nomination packet. She "is what General Douglas MacArthur stood for: Duty, Honor, and Country. She is the epitome of the citizen Soldier."
The transportation company thrived in its 24-hour a day, 7-day a week mission of being the eyes and ears of the U.S. Border Patrol.
But "the first 90 days were hell," Mead said.
Mead knew the Southwest Border mission was going to be a challenge, both personally and professionally. Her heart broke leaving then 1-year-old Maizie and her four other children at home with her husband, Matthew, in Williamsville.
About 40 percent of her Soldiers were coming from other units and they were about to deploy to a tough politically charged mission splitting her Soldiers across both shifts and geography. They were seeking out thousands of desperate people trying to cross the border, including children, each with their own, often heart-rending, story. Some were also dangerous, leading to restrictions on what could be publicly said about the 1844th until they returned home. Mead also knew from the after-action reports of previous Southwest Border rotations that "there were a lot of opportunities for trouble."
Mead spent 13 years as an enlisted Soldier prior to earning her commission through the Accelerated Officer Candidate School at Fort McClellan, Alabama. She knew how good NCOs could help her build a team and she used her NCOs to develop a safety and wellness plan for the unit.
Mead and 1844th 1st Sgt. AJ Huston both followed radio personality and author Dave Ramsey and integrated some of his principles into the unit's program for personal, physical, financial, and spiritual fitness.
"She a very 'Soldiers-first' commander," said Huston, who has known Mead for 20 years dating back their time as enlisted Soldiers in the Quincy-based 126th Maintenance Co., now the 126th Quartermaster Co. "She's very involved. She really works in mentoring her platoon leaders."
It wasn't easy pulling the unit together. "We all came together only 30 days out from the deployment and we didn't have an (annual training) together," Huston said. The command team had to make a lot of decisions on who would be best suited for each position. "We made a lot of people mad in the beginning, but as the deployment went on, I think most decided that we weren't as bad as they might of thought at first. Some of the decisions we made turned out to be the right ones," Huston added.
Mead and Huston also had their "fair share" of disagreements. "We didn't make any major decisions unless we were on the same page," Huston said. Sometimes that meant "pausing" the decision to get more input before deciding how to go forward.
The operations NCO, Master Sgt. Jessie Jump, aside from running the unit's operations went into the community and found opportunities for the Soldiers to do volunteer work in their off-hours.
"There were some growing pains," said Jump, who is now the first sergeant for the Milan-based 2-123 Forward Support Co. "She did teach me quite a bit, which, after 25 years in the Army, is no small feat." Mead taught him how to "trust but verify" in delegating tasks and a more personable and effective way to write awards, among other things. "She took time with all her Soldiers," Jump said. "The NCOs put our faith in her."
Sgt. 1st Class Tristan Booker took care of the Soldiers' pay and entitlements ensuring that they had few worries during the year-long deployment.
"Captain Mead is a compassionate leader that fostered an environment of change through a purpose-driven vison. While on the border Captain Mead leveraged multiple avenues to enhance the unit's mission and impact on the community in which the 1844th Transportation Company was immersed," Booker said. "Captain Mead displayed transparency and authenticity, which influenced Soldiers at all levels to focus on self-improvement activities."
"She was a very good leader - one who adversity made stronger," said Staff Sgt. (ret.) Philip Powe, who was pulled from his platoon sergeant position in favor of a higher-ranking Soldier as the unit reorganized in the beginning. While Powe did not like that decision, he appreciated the authentic and straightforward way his commander delivered her decision.
"People don't always agree," Powe said. "When you are younger, you sometimes don't see the bigger picture. With experience, you see it."
Mead said that Powe was a good NCO and a wise friend who "took her out for lunch" when he saw she needed it.
"Sometimes you just need to step away for a bit," Powe said. "It wasn't captain to staff sergeant then. We were just people. She did the same for me when I needed it. It was a door that swung both ways with two Soldiers looking out for each other."
Mead did everything you would expect from an officer, Powe said. She was physically fit. She led from the front. "During ACFT, she was right out there with the Soldiers." When the unit did the 18-mile Norwegian Ruck March, again, Mead was out front.
She also provided top cover for her NCOs and Soldiers and still held them accountable. "She persevered," Powe said.
"You can't be a good leader without good leaders under you," Mead said. "I'm not a leader by myself." Her Soldiers gelled into what Mead calls a "forever family" - a supportive group that knows they can call on each anytime despite many leaving the unit after the deployment.
It wasn't anyone in the unit that made the first 90 days of the deployment so difficult. It was the deployment's original battalion commander.
Mead said her battalion commander back in Illinois, Lt. Col. Mike Barton, was "hands down the best leader I've ever had, He showed me grace, confidence in me, support and mentorship throughout my entire command without hesitation."
But her original battalion commander on the Southwest Border was what the Army now refers to as a "counter-productive" leader - formerly referred to as "toxic" leadership. Mead found that she, and her unit, were being treated differently because she was a woman. "Some of the things he said and did were not how men are supposed to treat women - not how Soldiers are supposed to treat other Soldiers."
And he was her boss. "It was hard, trying time," Mead said. She talked to some other senior leaders she knew and respected, Barton and Arkansas Army National Guard Lt. Col. Travis Eddleman. They "helped me find the strength and courage to go forward and file the complaint when I did." She thought about the Army's Values and realized she needed to report her battalion commander's behavior. "I realized that I didn't have the luxury anymore. If he's doing this to me, then there are likely other women being treated this way."
Eddleman said Mead "stood out as a mature and well-qualified officer" early on. "During the hardships she faced with her commander and the subsequent investigation, she continuously demonstrated the resolve, maturity, courage, and dedication we expect of Army leaders. She never retreated. She forged ahead, took care of her Soldiers, and developed several command initiatives within her company, at least two of which I know were adopted by the entire brigade-level task force."
"It took a great amount of personal courage just to come forward with her challenges with her battalion commander," said Pennsylvania Army National Guard Col. Brad Pierson, commander of the 55th Maneuver Enhancement Brigade and Mead's brigade commander during the deployment. "She remained focused on the mission and her Soldiers even when she was going through those challenges."
Mead instituted several different Soldier-care programs at the company level, some of which were brought up to the brigade level, Pierson said. For example, a program based on the Illinois National Guard's "Restore Trust" initiative to prevent harmful behaviors such as suicide and sexual assault were implemented by the task force.
"The mission itself is very demanding on leadership" with the challenges of bringing several ad hoc units together as a team with a unique and difficult mission, Pierson said. Mead addressed the difficulties of the mission while also coming forward to Pierson with her concerns about the battalion commander.
The ensuing Army investigation revealed dozens of complaints from other women and the battalion commander was relieved of command. In January 2024, her former battalion commander plead guilty at Court Martial to assault consummated by a battery, sexual harassment, conduct unbecoming an officer, violation of a general order and other charges. While the investigation was underway, Mead did her best to shield her unit and her Soldiers from the battalion commander and his actions.
She didn't even tell her husband, Matthew, a teacher and basketball coach at Riverton High School, about the investigation for a while. "He was taking care of five kids by himself," she said. "Besides, I was a little afraid that he'd travel down" to the border to support her, she added.
"She was extremely resilient," Huston said. "She was steadfast in what she wanted to do as a commander" despite the adversity she faced.
Mead will relinquish command of the 1844th Transportation Company to Capt. Teza Simunyola in September. While she is confident that Capt. Simunyola will do a great job, she admits to being a bit torn about leaving command of the 1844th. "Our Soldiers didn't just meet the standard, they excelled past it," she said. "I do get emotional when I think about it. I'm happy because being in command is exhausting and takes a lot of time away from my family. But I also feel like I'm letting go of a piece of me. Not being part of the 1844th is going to be difficult."