Master Sgt. David Berry of Cuba, Illinois, who enlisted in the Illinois Army National Guard in 2004 - a dozen years after graduating from Rushville High School in 1992 - retired from the Army after 20 years of service on May 18.
Berry's two decades of service included two combat tours overseas. A motor transport noncommissioned officer, he deployed to Iraq from 2006 to 2007 with the 1744th Transportation Co. and then to Afghanistan from 2008 to 2009 with Co. E, 634th Brigade Support Battalion.
After returning from his deployments, Berry would teach the lessons he learned to a new generation of Soldiers as a chief instructor in the Springfield-based 129th Regiment (Regional Training Institute.) Berry's last duty position was as the unit's Quality Assurance Operations Noncommissioned Officer.
He helped build the foundation of the 129th Regiment's 88M (Motor Vehicle Operator) Course and worked within the Regional Training Institute for a little more than half his Army career.
He retired May 18 at the Illinois Military Academy on Camp Lincoln in Springfield, Illinois.