FORT SHAFTER, Hawaii – Col. Todd Hanks, the deputy commanding officer for the 8th Theater Sustainment Command, was inducted into the Smithville School District Distinguished Alumni Wall of Fame in front of friends and family in Smithville, Missouri Sept. 20, 2024.

Hanks, a 1995 Smithville High School graduate, was a standout 3-sport athlete lettering in football, track and field, and his primary sport, basketball. Despite his on-field accolades, the barrier for entry into the distinguished alumni wall of fame considers post-graduation contributions rather than high school excellence.

“The Smithville School District Distinguished Wall of Fame is a way for us to recognize our deserving alumni that have done great things for this community and country,” said Wayne Krueger, Hanks’ former coach, teacher and principal. “Not only does it show our collective gratitude, but it also demonstrates to our current student body that Smithville alumni are doing great things and it’s something to aspire to.”

According to the online nomination form, the wall of fame was established in 2013 with the aim to recognize and honor Smithville graduates who have contributed to society in an exemplary fashion across eight primary categories, ranging from business to education or in Hanks’ case, military service.

Ironically, the accomplishments that punched Hanks’ ticket to the Wall was a footnote during his adolescence.

“I didn’t know the Army was in my path,” said Hanks. “Really, I was just looking for some help to pay for college.”

Hanks’ on court dominance earned him all-state honors in basketball during his junior and senior year, respectively, and a partial scholarship to Benedictine College in Atchison, Kansas. But that was the rub.

After two years of coming up short on tuition, Hanks wasn’t comfortable with the idea of graduating college only to be saddled with thousands of dollars in student debt.

“My basketball scholarship paid for a portion of school, but I knew that I was going to still have some significant student loans,” said Hanks. “Late in my sophomore year I started looking at ROTC and I was able to get a two-year scholarship, which was great because it also guaranteed me a job after graduating.”

Like many cadets, his plan was to fulfill his four-year obligation and return to civilian life, similar to the path Hanks’ dad and his dad took with their military service.

“My grandpa served in World War II. He was in the Army Air Corps as an airplane gunner in the European theater. And then my dad served during Vietnam in the Army reserves for six years.”

What ensued was far from Hanks’ initial plan.

As a career logistician for more than 26 years, Hanks has either deployed to, been stationed, or supported training operations on nearly 30 countries on five different continents. From Saudi Arabia to Iraq to South Korea, each assignment offered opportunities to grow personally and professionally, proving each duty station is often what you make of it.

“I think part of the reason why the Army is so successful is because there’s a lot of resilient people and resilient families,” said Hanks. “Coming out of my advanced course as a captain, the only place I didn’t want to go was Korea. And of course, I got told I’m going to Korea. So that was a surprise, but it turns out I ended up really liking it, and it was the best thing for me.”

In South Korea, Hanks was assigned to the United Nations Command – Joint Security Area and routinely guided senior leaders on tours of the Demilitarized Zone, the heavily guarded border between North and South Korea. Despite his reservations of being stationed on the Korean Peninsula, his work ethic coupled with his leadership qualities impressed the right people and it laid the groundwork for merit-based opportunities.

The Army recognized Hanks’ potential and awarded him a fully funded graduate degree at the university of his choice. Unlike his initial college experience, not only was the Army paying for tuition, but he was also earning a paycheck while attending school. A steep contrast from his two first years of undergrad.

Krueger, who was at the induction ceremony isn’t surprised at all by Hanks’ success in the Army.

“Todd was a tremendous athlete in school and overall great student,” said Krueger. “Even as an underclassman, other students and athletes were always looking up to him, he had a presence about him that made him a great leader. He’s the youngest inductee we’ve had, which speaks volumes about who Todd is as a person and leader.”

As a lieutenant colonel, Hanks was selected to command the 528th Special Troops Battalion, 528th Sustainment Brigade, (Special Operations) (Airborne), marking a first for the seasoned officer. Hanks had previously never served in the special operations community, but found he highly enjoyed the complex problem solving and dedication from the service members there. Moreover, the friendships and mentors he served with in the Army Special Operations community continue to influence him today.

“I will say that I think that the Army tends to get it right when it comes to talent management and where they send people to broaden their careers,” said Hanks. “It might not always be your first choice, but I’ve never been somewhere where I didn’t learn something or improve as a leader.”

Hanks would later attend the Australian Strategic Policy Institute in Canberra, Australia as a U.S. Army War College fellow, followed by commanding the 599th Transportation Brigade on Wheeler Army Airfield, Hawaii.

Both assignments reinforce Smithville School District’s decision to elect Hanks to its distinguished alumni wall of fame. A small portion officers ever attend senior service college, with even less serving as brigade commanders.

The opportunity to attend senior service college in Australia was a homecoming of sorts for Hanks and his wife, Yvette Smith, who grew up Adelaide, South Australia. The two had met years earlier in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia when Hanks was serving as a battalion logistics advisor and Smith working as a nurse. Once again, underscoring Hanks position that the Army has a knack of sending Soldiers to places where they can flourish.

While Smithville School Distinguished Alumni inductees are evaluated on their post high school contributions, it should be noted that service has always been a big part of Hanks’ life. From the time he was little, he’s been active supporting his community, a trait that runs in his family.

“He’s been a part of the Kiwanis Club for 25 years,” said Rita Hanks, Hanks’ mom. “When he was little, he would volunteer when they would do pancake breakfasts and things like that. Hank’s grandfather was also inducted into the Smithville Distinguished Alumni. It’s just something we do around here. We’re a small community, but service to our community has always been a big deal.”

As Hanks reflects on his Army career juxtaposed against his younger self playing for the Smithville Warriors, there’s been one certainty that remains true. From his high school coaches to the leaders in uniform, he’s consistently been inspired by the people closest to him.

For Hanks, that’s his message to the students at Smithville High.

“I think what you get in the Army is the exposure to amazing leaders,” said Hanks. “The Army is a leadership factory. You constantly get to refine your toolkit with things you like and things you don’t. So, I’m constantly taking things from leaders and refining my own leadership style. If you want to be a leader today, there’s no better place to get started than the Army.”