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THE DRAGOON | Fall 2020

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ContentsMPRAThe Dragoon

Fall 2020Vol. 29, No. 4

PRESIDENT CSM (R) Dorsey Newcomb

VICE PRESIDENT COL (R) Charles Williams

SENIOR ADVISORY COUNCILCSM (R) Jeff ButlerCOL (R) Wade DennisCSM (R) Charles KirklandCSM (R) Tony McGeeCOL (R) Pat Williams

NATIONAL BOARD OF DIRECTORSLTC (R) Barbara CrawfordCOL (R) Bryan O’BarrCSM (R) Michael OdleSGM Larry OrvisCSM (R) Don PayneLTC Kevin PayneSGM (R) Don Rose 1SG (R) Dave RossCOL (R) Ken TaukeCSM (R) Mike TrueCSM Rich Woodring

EXECUTIVE DIRECTORMr. Rick Harne

BUSINESS MANAGERMs. Beth Bellerby

GIFT SHOP MANAGERMrs. Janet Guevara

MARKETING AND BRANDING REPRESENTATIVE Ms. Erin Younkin

MUSEUM REPRESENTATIVEMrs. Kathy West

HISTORIANMr. Ron Miller

CREATIVE DIRECTORMrs. Stacie L. Marshall

Military Police Regimental AssociationP.O. Box 2182 Fort Leonard Wood, MO 65473 573-329-5317 www.MPRAonline.org

The appearance of U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) information or visual images does not imply or constitute a DoD endorsement. Copyright 2020 by Military Police Regimental Assocation The Dragoon magazine. All rights reserved. The Dragoon magazine is published four times annually for world-wide distribution. While efforts have been made to authenticate all claims and guarantees offered by advertisers in this magazine, we cannot assume liability for any products or services advertised herein. The publisher reserves the right to accept or reject any advertising or editorial material. All advertisements created by the publisher are not considered a word made for hire and the publisher retains the copyright to all advertisements created by the publisher for the advertiser. The advertisements may not be reproduced without written permission of the publisher.

MissionPromote the history and preserve the traditions of the Military Police Corps Regiment while supporting Military Police Leadership, Soldiers and Families Army wide.

VisionThe premier Military Police professional organization which is fully aligned with the Army and Military Police Corps current and future visions and recognized as relevant by Military Police Leaders, Soldiers and Families throughout the Regiment.

ValuesServe Military Police Leaders, Soldiers, and Families with dignity, respect, responsibility and stewardship of our resources with integrity, transparency and accountability.

04Letters

36Tomorrow’s MP

08MP Happenings

38MP History

24Around the World

44MPRA Connection

n behalf of our members, families and friends, I would like to welcome you to this edition of the Dragoon. This

year’s anniversary week activities have passed. They were very impressive, yet very different due to the COVID19 restrictions. The week started off with the Memorial Tribute. Our Gold Star families are always on our minds but even more so on this special day as we honor their families’ service. Some of the week’s other events included a Bass Tournament, Golf Tournament, Trap Shoot, a virtual Hall of Fame Induction and a smaller version of the annual Regimental Run. A special thanks to our USAMPS command team for their vision and leadership in making the 79th anniversary week activities a huge success.

One special dedication ceremony occurred on September 21st, the unveiling of the Military Working Dog statue. The MWD is a tremendous addition to the already impressive Memorial Grove. Following the dedication, the MPRA was able to recognize the mastermind behind all four statues, Mr. James Hall of JH Creative, with the Friend of the Regiment award. James has been working with the MPRA for over a decade in assisting us in making the Memorial Grove a world-class place.

We also were able to watch five great Americans receive the Order of the Marechaussee award in Gold. COL (R) Frank Cohn, CSM (R) James Frye, SFC Leigh Ann Hester, CW5 (R) Philip Tackett and COL (R) Tracy Williams. Congratulations to all of these tremendous Soldiers who continue to serve our Regiment and nation.

We would like to ask you to promote an important MPRA endeavor. Our annual scholarship window opens in January. Please stay connected with us on our social media for details of this and other great opportunities to serve.

I would like to thank our Board of Directors, ALL who are volunteers, who give their time and effort to make this

the premier professional organization. A special thanks to Mrs. Corina O’Barr who will be venturing out into new waters with her own business. Corina has dedicated many years to our gift shop and assisted the MPRA in achieving many of our goals. Mrs. Janet Guevara was selected to be the new gift shop manager. Janet has been working in our gift shop for over two years. Our staff is the hardest working people you will find. We thank Ms. Beth Bellerby and Mrs. Bobbie Martin for their daily professionalism, foresight and passion for Military Police Soldiers, Families, and Friends.

In closing, we need you to help tell our story, visit our website, our online gift shop, our social media outlets, and be an active member in your area and communicate with us on what we can do better.

Preparation is already beginning for next year which will be the 80th anniversary of the Military Police Corps!

oBUSINESS MANAGER

A NOTE FROM THE

The MPRA Dragoon features information from the MPRA Community, news from the Home of the Regiment at Fort Leonard Wood, historical accounts, and stories from all components (Active Duty, National Guard and Reserve), as well as Retired Military Police from around the world. The overall goal of the Dragoon is to be current on the HOOAH events taking place within our ranks and, in turn, be a direct reflection of the Regiment as a whole. We encourage articles and photographs by and about Soldiers of all ranks, Military Spouses and Families, DA Civilians, and other Friends of the Regiment. Articles and photograph submissions should be Military Police-related and may include human interest, military operations and exercises, history, personal viewpoints and other areas of general interest. All articles accepted for publication are subject to editing. We welcome your ideas and suggestions for future publications and we look forward to hearing from you!

Respectfully,

Beth [email protected]

UPDATE MEMBER PROFILE [email protected]

SUBMIT NEWS & PHOTOS [email protected]

High resolution digital photos are required. News and photos may be used in other MPRA publications (printed and digital) and may appear on MPRA’s social media platforms.

FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL MEDIA

@MilitaryPoliceRegimentalAssociation

@mpraonline

@mpraonline

@mpraonline

Rick HarneFirst Sergeant (Retired)MPRA Executive Director

Executive Director

From the

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y family and I are thrilled to be at USAMPS, and I am both humbled and honored to be your 51st Commandant and Chief of the Regiment.

It is great to return to the place where military police leaders of the future are forged by the fantastic NCOs, WOs, and Officers we have here at Fort Leonard Wood. The Maneuver Support Center of Excellence just celebrated its 21st birthday, and our school has been here for those entire 21 years. We’re all adults now! The installation and community have in the past, and continue, to provide exceptional support. We are incredibly fortunate to have this environment at our home.

I would like to offer personal thanks to BG Brian Bisacre and his wife Cyndi. They both ensured a very smooth transition back to Fort Leonard Wood. BG Bisacre had the leadership, vision, and dedication to develop a much-needed Force Design Update for our companies and battalions, amongst a myriad of other initiatives, while serving as the 50th Commandant and Chief of the Regiment. He laid the foundation for our success as a part of the Way Point Force of 2028. His contributions are both great and small, as he also left a pull up bar in the basement to assist future commandants in their transition to the Army Combat Fitness Test. We know that he will quickly become an invaluable member of the team at USARC, where he will be serving as the G3.

We just finished up our Regimental Week, and although there were large events we could not have this year, we still held our keystones — the Memorial Tribute and the Retreat — and allowed our competitors to shine in sports competitions. It was a great time to

enjoy being a military police officer, and it also offered some time to reflect on our contributions as a 79-year old branch. During the retreat ceremony I was able to highlight our contributions through world wars, large scale combat operations like Korea and Desert Storm, peacekeeping operations like Bosnia and Kosovo, and the smaller but longer wars of Vietnam, Iraq, and Afghanistan. Coupled with our day-to-day contribution to the readiness and safety of security of our installations, we have much to be proud of.

With the COVID19 pandemic and the change it brought to all aspects of our lives this year has certainly been far different than any of us expected. We don’t know what the future holds, but we are confident that the MP Corps will adapt to face new demands and threats. Our multi-discipline, multi-domain MP theme is about bringing all of us – combat support, CID, law enforcement,

detention, and corrections – together as a team at an appropriate echelon to best support our division, Corps, and ASCC commanders. Our transformed units will bring our full capabilities to bear under a MP commander, and we’ll do this in a multi-domain environment, involving not only air, land, and sea, but space and cyber.

Please continue the great interaction we have with the force through SITREPs, the CTC Forum, and the MPMD2 Forum, especially as you become involved in Warfighters and other LSCO exercises. Your feedback helps us ensure our courses train and educate our students appropriately for the myriad of missions they will execute when they PCS from Fort Leonard Wood.

We would not be the great regiment we are without our people. When we take a hard look at what the Chief of Staff of the Army says is eroding the Army – suicides, sexual assaults, and racism/extremism – it is all about people. We are talking about these issues in all of our schools, as well as stressing character, competence, and the Army as a Profession. The leaders leaving here understand that they must establish a safe, professional environment for their Soldiers, and that we all contribute to establishing that same environment on our posts, camps, and stations.

A very big thank you to all of our Families. We could not accomplish what we do without your support, and your service and pride in our mission is evident at every FRG meeting, Pig Bowl, and volunteer recognition ceremony. We can’t thank you enough.

ASSIST-PROTECT-DEFEND... WINNING MATTERS!

CommandantFrom the

COL Niave Knell51st Commandant and Chief of the Military Police Corps Regiment

MMulti-discipline, Multi-domain Military Police #MPMD2

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reetings Military Police Corps Family! Things here at the Home of the Regiment are still moving right along as we work through COVID 19. The first order of business is to

recognize all the Military Police units that are actively engaged in operations in their home states supporting the efforts to #killthevirus. All three components of the Regiment are highly engaged across the globe supporting efforts to protect our Soldiers and Families. I would like to draw your attention specifically to the National Guard units. These MP Units are currently working in hospitals, correctional facilities, and providing additional support to critical civil authorities in about eight different states. In New York, an MP Company is currently tasked to provide a total of 220 Soldiers to support multiple missions including traffic support at testing sites, food distribution, Force protection at Camp Smith Military site, cleaning missions in public gathering spaces, setting up the Force Protection, logistics and mission command at the military hospital. All of these tasks are spread out of a large geographical area yet the Commander and First Sergeant are continuously engaged every day to provide essential leadership and motivation to their unit. Front line duty every day for this unit. Our National Guard units are constantly exposed to areas that are hot spots for the virus and still without fail are out leading from the front. Great work 107th MP Company!

The training environment has always been challenging but with the implementation of social distancing to our blocks of instruction, tasks have gotten just a little more complex. Yet the complexity has not slowed down Drill Sergeants, Small Group Leaders, and Instructors as they

grind away every day to ensure that our newest members of the Military Police Corps family are trained and proficient in all their tasks. The requirement to create distance in the training base has actually increased the amount of time that cadre get to spend ensuring that smaller groups understand completely the training objectives and they are given plenty of time to perform the hands on portions. Physical training and weapons proficiency are also getting more focused energy with these new practices. While the task might take a few hours longer to complete the end result is a better trained individual at the end of the day.

Virtual engagements have quickly gained organizations efficiency’s at all levels. Daily huddles, weekly updates, and training briefs are all being done through virtual means. While many of these practices will continue long after we win the fight it does not replace good “oak tree” type leadership. When we come

out the other side of this thing leader checks on Soldiers will be just as critical as they are today. Simply stopping by the residence of a Soldier to say hello will go a long ways. No white-glove inspection required, just a short duration of presence and some well-placed encouragement will go a long ways. Another key to the virtual world is simply not going back to having a meeting that could have been an email or a phone call. This concept has really increased our awareness here at the MP School on how we spend our time. As COVID operations come to a close in the future we will ensure that we don’t lose out on many of the efficiencies gained as we have fully embraced the use of virtual platforms to accomplish many of our engagements.

It’s times like these that make me extremely proud to be a part of the Military Police Corps family. Every single individual in our organization from DA Civilian, Officer, Warrant Officer, Noncommissioned Officer, Soldier, and Family member is doing their part to get through this historical event. Stay FOCUSED on the task and continue to take care of those individuals that are entrusted to your care.

ASSIST, PROTECT, DEFEND

G

Regimental Command Sergeant Major

From the

CSM Michael P. BennettMilitary Police School Command Sergeant Major

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reetings from the Home of the Regiment! First, I want to take this opportunity and say I am exceptionally honored to be a part of the Military Police

Regiment and I am extremely proud of what you do every day and I thank you for supporting our Regiment, our Army and our great Nation. This year certainly has been one of challenges and uncer-tainties. COVID-19 made all of us look at how we do business, adapt to the new environment and continue to accomplish the mission. Like true professionals, our Regiment reacted and responded admi-rably across all disciplines and in multiple domains. I would also like to take this opportunity and talk about crime pre-vention and provide an informational resource (CID Lookout) to keep up on the latest crimes affecting the Army commu-nity. CID Lookout is a U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Command initiative to part-ner with the Army community by providing a conduit for members of the Army family to help prevent, reduce and report felony-level crime. CID Lookout provides the

latest information to the Army community aimed at helping Soldiers protect them-selves, their families and to reduce their chances of becoming a victim of crime. The latest crime awareness information titled, “Job Seekers Beware: Employment Scams on the Rise”, was published on October 5, 2020 and warns the Army community about employment scams and provides some preventative measures. For more information on this scam and other crime awareness information, visit the CID website at: https://www.cid.army.mil/cid-lookout.html

PRESERVE THE FORCE ASSIST, PROTECT, DEFEND OF THE TROOPS AND FOR THE TROOPS

G

Regimental Chief Warrant Officer

From the

CW5 Mark W. ArnoldRegimental Chief Warrant Officer

Book NookUnited States Disciplinary Barracks

On May 21, 1874, Congress approved the establishment of the United States Disciplinary Barracks (USDB), formerly the United States Military Prison at Fort Leavenworth. The original prison was once a quartermaster depot, supplying all military posts, camps, and stations in the Indian Territory to the West. It has been the “center of correctional excel-lence” in the military for over 130 years, housing the most notorious service members in the armed forces, including maximum-custody inmates and those with death sen-tences. On October 5, 2002, retreat was played for the last time in front of the eight-story castle inside the old USDB,

and another era started with the occupation of a new modern correctional facility. PURCHASE: mpraonline.org/shop/united-states-disciplinary-barracks

Military Police Regimental History

The Military Police Regimental History Book chronicles the history of our Regiment from WWII to pres-ent day. The book is richly illustrated with historic and contemporary pho-tographs, stories, quotes, and over 1,000 personal biographies from Military Police Veterans. The 9”x12” book is available in a green leather-ette cover with the Regimental crest

embossed in gold on the front cover. PURCHASE: mpraonline.org/shop/military-police-history-book

06

// Letters

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VISIT OUR WEBSITE TO ATTEND A FREE INFORMATION SESSION

2020 Military Police Corps

HALL OF FAME INDUCTEESE

ach year the Military Police Corps Regiment solicits

nominations for the U.S. Army Military Police

Corps Regimental Hall of Fame. Commissioned

Officers, Warrant Officers, Enlisted Soldiers, or

Professional Civilians who have served in or supported

an Active, National Guard or Reserve Military Police unit

are eligible for nomination.

The Military Police Corps Regimental leadership

proudly announced this year’s inductees as BG(R) John

A. “Jack” Hammond, COL(R) Michael Galloucis, COL(R)

Eugene Smith, CW5(R) Guy Surian, CW5(R) TL Williams,

CSM(R) Jonathan Godwin, SFC(R) Timothy Prevost, and

SGT(R) Bryan Anderson. This year’s inductees bring the

total number of distinguished leaders enshrined in the

Military Police Hall of Fame to 99.

The MPRA joins the regimental leadership in

congratulating each of these inductees and their families

on this outstanding milestone in their service to our

Regiment and this great country.

In keeping with promoting the history and preserving

the traditions of our Regiment MPRA is proud to

maintain a current place on our website where you can

view the names, pictures and citations for all 99 Hall of

Fame members. We invite to you to visit the site at www.

mpraonline.org to see this collection of Military Police

heroes and to read about their legacies.

Although the United States Army Military Police School

is the proponent for the MP Hall of Fame, the MPRA

encourages everyone to review the outline of the

prerequisites, process, and regulatory requirements and

consider nominating those you feel to be deserving of

consideration for this great honor.

// MP Happenings

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Sergeant Bryan AndersonService Career 2001–2007

Colonel Michael GalloucisService Career 1980–2010

Command Sergeant MajorJonathan Godwin

Service Career 1983–2015

Brigadier GeneralJohn “Jack” Hammond


Sergeant First ClassTimothy Prevost

Service Career1985–2008

Colonel Eugene SmithService Career 1981–2008

Chief Warrant Officer FiveGuy Surian


Chief Warrant Officer FiveTL Williams


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BY CAPT. AARON SMITH, MASSACHUSETTS NATIONAL GUARD PUBLIC AFFAIRS

The coronavirus is a pandemic that’s unprecedented in many of our lifetimes, and it is straining institutions all across America. This crisis is putting pressure on every-thing from hospitals to grocery stores, and affects first responders who continue working in our communities to keep the public safe.

While countless police departments across the country are feeling the virus’ impact, some are particularly hard-it. The 2,800 member Detroit Police Department, in one example, had 180 officers test positive and over 1,000 personnel quarantined by mid-April. The Boston Police Department has endured dozens of infections as well, with one 29-year veteran officer recently succumbing to the virus.

Massachusetts has a resource that is providing assistance to law enforcement during this crisis. By using specially trained Massachusetts National Guard members to aug-ment local police forces, the Commonwealth is providing some relief to departments in need.

“In times of emergency, we have a pool of highly-trained

personnel with state-wide law enforcement authorities, that can be drawn upon to assist civilian law enforcement and help ensure public safety and security,” said Lt. Col. Bryan Pillai, 211th Military Police Battalion commander. “It’s sort of a civics lesson, but every state maintains the ability to conduct internal law enforcement, and the National Guard is directly subordinate to each state governor. In fact, using the National Guard to support law enforcement is ingrained in our history and the exact opposite of mar-tial law, where forces would answer to federal authorities.”

The Massachusetts National Guard developed a special unit, called the National Guard Reaction Force, several years ago to provide exactly this type of support. Under the leadership of the 211th Military Police Battalion, the NGRF is comprised of the 747th, 772nd, and 972nd Military Police Companies; the 102nd and 104th Security Forces Squadrons; and a specially trained Infantry company. During the last few weeks, NGRF personnel have been helping to augment a variety of local police forces across Massachusetts.

211TH MILITARY POLICE BATTALIONNATIONAL GUARD MPS SUPPORT CIVIL AUTHORITIES

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“When asked, we generally integrate our personnel into the police department and provide them direct assistance. The point is that we’re not coming in and trying to take over anything; we’re looking to augment the departments and take direction from civil authorities. Whenever practi-cal, we prefer to use the supported department’s own poli-cies and procedures, operate on their radio frequencies, and so on,” said Pillai.

This isn’t the first time Guard members have worked with local police. The Massachusetts National Guard has a long history of working and training alongside local departments. Although the Boston Marathon is postponed this year, in years prior, the Guard has part-nered with police departments all along the route, in every city from Hopkinton to Boston, to help augment their forces and keep the public safe. Similarly, each year the Guard also partners with the Massachusetts State Police to support Boston’s 4th of July celebration on the Esplanade, which typically draws hun-dreds of thousands of spectators.

The National Guard has supported and performed local law enforcement since its inception in 1636, well over 200 years before the Boston Police Department, credited as the nation’s oldest police department, was founded. “The NGRF’s mission today is firmly rooted in our militia tradition as the coun-try’s original community-based solution to public safety in times of need,” Pillai said.

Military Police and Security Forces from the Mass. National Guard also have a capability that no other state can claim.

“All Military Police Soldiers and Security Forces Airmen graduate from police training programs that receive Federal Law Enforcement Training Accreditation, which is the same accreditation all federal law enforcement services receive, including the Secret Service and the Marshal Service,” Pillai said.

The Commonwealth then takes it a step further, provid-ing additional instruction on the differences between the

military’s FLETA-certified programs and the training standards for Massachusetts civilian police officers, which are set forth by the Municipal Police Training Committee.

The intent is to certify as many Military Police and Security Forces personnel as possible on the Massachusetts standards.

“This training enhances the capabilities of Soldiers and Airmen in their federal mission in case they are sent over-

seas, better prepares them to serve the Commonwealth in emergencies such as the current pandemic response, and saves money for cities and towns who decide to employ our personnel. The real winner here is the taxpayer,” Pillai said.

This whole-of-government approach that pays for training once and counts it twice is also a recruiting and reten-tion tool.

“It makes part-time service mem-bers, the very core of the National Guard, extremely competitive for civil-ian employment as a police officer,” Pillai said. “Not only are our person-nel trained to the standards required for civilian police officers, which gets them on the street faster, they are also

physically fit and culturally attuned to disciplined commu-nity service.”

One Soldier working to help support law enforcement in the fight against COVID-19 is 1st Lt. Joshua Griffith from Beverly who is supervising Military Police operations at the Boston Convention and Exposition Center in support of the Boston Police Department. 1st Lt. Griffith is tasked with ensuring public safety and security for the 1,000 bed medical facility named Boston Hope.

“It’s an honor to serve our community in the National Guard, especially when our help is most needed,” said Griffith. “There’s a lot of emotion around this pandemic and we’re able to draw on our law enforcement training to de-escalate situations and provide comfort to those we come in contact with. We’re here to keep patients and healthcare workers safe, and it’s a mission I take very seriously.”

HANSCOM AIR FORCE BASE, Mass. – Army Gen. James C. McConville (left), the chief of staff of the Army and Air Force Brig. Gen. Virginia I. Gaglio (center), commander of the Massachusetts Air National Guard, speak with Lt. Col. Bryan K. Pillai, commander of security forces at the Boston Hope Medical Center in South Boston, Mass., April 18, 2020. McConville is here to visit troops serving in the commonwealth as part of a combined local, state and federal effort to mitigate the spread and effect of COVID-19. (Massachusetts National Guard Photo by Army Staff Sgt. Kevin R. Nunes)

‹‹

THE MASSACHUSETTS NATIONAL GUARD HAS A

LONG HISTORY OF WORKING AND TRAINING

ALONGSIDE LOCAL [POLICE] DEPARTMENTS.

11

s

Contributing Authors:Capt. Arron T. Miller, commander, 23rd Military Police Company at Fort Drum, NY. MA in Diplomacy from Norwich University. Reachable at (315) 774-4707, Bldg. 1980 Oswego Ave., Fort Drum, NY 13602; 1st Sgt. Michael

Goodfallow, first sergeant, 23rd Military Police Company at Fort Drum, NY. BAS from Grand Canyon University; 1st Lt. Lucas McConaughey, executive officer of the 23rd Military Police Company at Fort Drum, NY.

McConaughey has a BA from the University of Florida; 1st Lt. Cavin H. Park, platoon leader in the 23rd Military Police Company at Fort Drum, NY. He has a BA from the University of Michigan; 1st Lt. Racheal D. Sawyer,

platoon leader in the 23rd Military Police Company at Fort Drum, NY. Sawyer has a BAS from the United States Military Academy at West Point; 2nd Lt. Dozier, platoon leader in the 23rd Military Police Company at Fort Drum,

NY. He has a BS from Sam Houston State University; 2nd Lt. Jessica A. Mortimer, platoon leader in the 23rd Military Police Company at Fort Drum, NY. Mortimer has a BA from Pacific Lutheran University; 2nd Lt. Matthew P. Daigle, platoon leader in the 23rd Military Police Company at Fort Drum, NY. Daigle has a BAS from the United States Military Academy at West Point.

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Soldiers of 23rd MP Company continued law enforcement operations and suc-cessfully transitioned into their training cycle despite limitations of the virus.

Despite the strain of COVID-19 on the road commitment due to a variety of fac-tors – such as quarantined homes, sick-ness in the ranks, and additional taskings brought on by the virus – the company still achieved readiness and maintained daily operations by adapting the ap-proach to personnel readiness, contin-ued maintenance under constraints, lim-iting risk of cross contamination, focused leader development, and deliberate planning, enabling the rapid resourcing of training events once viral constraints were eased.

The company met its mission by evolv-ing how it accomplished requirements. Senior leaders had to be creative when affecting change.

“As the company first ser-geant, my main focus re-mained on the health and welfare of our Soldiers and Families,” said 1st Sgt. Michael Goodfallow, 23rd MP Company. “I needed to see how we were going to exe-cute our daily missions within the parameters of avoiding the coronavirus.”

1SG Goodfallow started implementing changes in phases. First, leaders engaged Soldiers to not only follow the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines of social distancing and hand-washing, but also reinforced the impor-tance of physical fitness, getting proper sleep, and eating a healthy diet.

As a Fort Drum directive, formations and organized physical training (PT) were no longer allowed. With this departure from normalcy, leaders leveraged technology and social media to provide daily work-outs to their subordinates while execut-ing their own PT.

1SG Goodfallow also created a work cycle that allowed leaders to check on their Soldiers during designated times.

“In order to maintain readiness, we creat-ed phased work call with minimal person-nel coming in on a rotating schedule,” 1SG Goodfallow explained, which allowed a minimal but constant presence within the company.

Each platoon was allotted a block of time with a maximum of four Soldiers to continue training and maintenance. A 30-minute gap between time blocks allowed thorough cleaning between pla-toon transitions to prevent crossover. The other Soldiers remained on call and ready to respond should the need arise. These precautions were set to keep Soldiers safe, but with proper personal protective equipment, any number of Soldiers could be called in to accomplish the daily mission.

“We attacked HR Metrics by specifically directing individuals to our [personnel actions clerk] at prescribed times and in a specific order,” 1SG Goodfallow ex-plained. “Essentially, the company con-tinued to grind away at our mission just like we would in any austere environ-ment. It just didn’t happen at the usual place and required more of a coordinat-ed effort.”

While working the road, 23rd MP Company conducted routine mainte-nance and created a secondary mainte-nance plan to ensure communication, CBRN (chemical, biological, radiologi-cal, nuclear), weapons, and night vision devices were not neglected. Platoons planned Soldier schedules with tasks, purpose and standard of conducting pri-mary maintenance, followed by the sec-ondary maintenance. The maintenance team separated into two shifts: one day turning wrenches while the other con-ducting duties outside of the mechanic’s bay, such as equipment shed inventories and organization.

Due to their half schedule, the mainte-nance team made two big changes to their normal operations. After receiving the 5988s from the platoons, the main-tenance teams would use a week to test faults and update the ESR. Platoons con-tinued PMCS (preventive maintenance checks and services) throughout the week they did not receive new 5988s. The mechanics also pushed jobs with an estimated 14-plus hours to Logistical

Readiness Center staff, who could turn around repairs faster with their man-power and resources.

Once primary maintenance was complet-ed, secondary maintenance took priority. Each platoon had a designated focus for the week, with the equipment receiving maintenance rotating throughout the month. Although routine maintenance and services proceeded as planned, the company had few Soldiers to fill the task-ings assigned to it.

This is not the first time manning has suffered due to a crisis at Fort Drum. During the height of the Iraqi and Afghan conflicts, Fort Drum severely lacked ad-equate MP coverage due to constant deployments. During those times, Fort Drum Directorate of Emergency Services pushed to hire more Department of the Army civilian personnel to meet the law enforcement requirements (Park).

However, the virus challenged DES’ capacity to fill the law enforcement needs in an unprecedented manner. Deployments cause U.S. Army Garrisons loss of military police personnel tem-porarily, which can be augmented by hiring more civilians. The virus caused

SGT Burnett instructs his squad on the troop leading procedures in preparation for 23D MP Company’s Squad Certification. (Photo by 1LT Racheal Sawyer.)

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“casualties” in both military and civilian pop-ulations, limiting DES manpower. Unlike de-ployments, the illness does not have a known end date, so hiring for an unknown amount of time would not be feasible.

To mitigate the manning shortages, task dissemination changed. Law enforcement taskings — such as customs missions, court-house guards, and quarantine site security — drained manpower as they were pushed on 23rd MP Company along with normal road requirements.

To help, the installation began to augment manning with Installation Borrowed Military Manpower that could draw from a larger force. Quarantine sites became manned by non-military police Soldiers. Courts shutting down and travel decreasing lessened other law enforcement taskings. Closing access control points and funneling smaller num-bers of mission-essential personnel through the gates freed up more manpower.

Contingency plans were developed for all of the “what if’s” associated with the virus and working the road. Capt. Arron T. Miller, 23rd MP Company commander, conducted a mock contingency drill with all leaders — without disclosing that it was a drill — to gauge readi-ness. The exercise was effective in proving that the Soldiers could accomplish their law enforcement mission even with the threat of the virus.

To avoid the threat of mass contamination, specific shifts were dedicated to specific pla-toons, forcing shift and duty integrity. Instead of rotating shifts every 30 days, shifts were left the same to prevent cross contamination between personnel. Two Soldiers sharing a vehicle became prohibited, increasing the number of patrols on the road and increased equipment requirements for these patrols.

Patrols were instructed to wear mask and gloves when responding to any call, carry an extra set of uniforms in case of exposure, and to not enter an infected individual’s resi-dence unless presented with exigent circum-stances. Stations were established where patrols could decontaminate uniforms and equipment after possible exposure to the virus while working the road.

“Like any other enemy to our formation,” 1SG Goodfallow concluded, “we were forced to analyze our procedures, create a mitigation plan, and then vigorously attack it.”

Despite the inflexibility of mission require-ments, leadership enabled certain degrees of flexibility with their Soldiers. Most child care, both on and off post, shut down during the crisis, driving leaders to create alternate care plans in rapid succession. Shopping hours for food and necessities were reduced for active-duty military personnel on post, spur-ring leaders to generate lines of support pre-viously unnoticed. Rapid changes in the DA-6 disallowed Soldiers much individual planning

time, leaving the responsibility on leaders.

To mitigate these hardships, leaders did daily updates on those subordinates who faced hardship due to the virus and disseminated information as quickly as possible to allow for adequate planning. This flow of commu-nication was directed both to subordinates and up to higher command. Platoon leaders reported daily to the company commander on the status of every Soldier on quarantine and those who were facing hardship. This in-formation was then pushed higher so the bat-talion was able to track all of those who were affected by the virus. This created a united front against the virus through unity of effort.

With the road commitment ending for 23rd MP Company, the next challenge with the virus was transitioning to daily operations during a training cycle. Due to the virus, is-sues arose when planning and executing training events such as ranges, classes, and field exercises.

When planning and executing ranges, the in-stallation required that social distancing be maintained while on a range and prohibited personnel from staying overnight at the range. To mitigate such challenges, range briefings continued on schedule so that when available, ranges could immediately be scheduled. Those ranges that were possible were extended to allow for more firing orders with fewer people. While making time deadlines is now a no-fail task for those firing orders on the range, those who are not actively on a site conduct training at the team or squad level elsewhere.

All training and classes are now conducted at the squad level, with only one squad per platoon in the company area at a time. This forces leaders to be creative with location for classes and rehearsals. The competition over space to conduct training and classes was mitigated by communication between pla-toon leadership to schedule available sites.

CPT Miller awards SSG Cantu with an Army Achievement Medal for his proper use of force while on duty as patrol supervisor. (Photo by 1LT Racheal Sawyer.)

“A pint of sweat will save a gallon of blood.” Gen. George S. Patton

14

With platform and squad certification planned over next two months, Soldiers still receive the necessary training to certify them on their weapons, as teams, and as squads with small adjustments to allow for smaller firing orders. The mis-sion, training and certification will not fail due to mitigation of risk to mission. Daily operations will continue with flex-ibility as the cornerstone for success.

The crisis provided conditions for leaders to rearrange priorities and exercise dis-ciplined initiative. Large training events are severely limited, so leaders must ask “what tasks can be completed to posture the organization to seamlessly resume normal operations?” The answer is to ad-just focus.

“I switched to developing the person rather than the MP,” CPT Miller said,

explaining how he chose to develop his lieutenants under COVID-19 con-straints. Leaders focused on enforcing military processes on their subordinates to develop them into leaders themselves. It is important the lieutenants under-stand “who we are” versus “what we are” in the time of COVID-19.

“Who we are — Army officers are thinkers and problem solvers that manage people, time, and information,” CPT Miller con-tinued. “What we are, are Soldiers able to shoot, move, and communicate, simul-taneously making disciplined decisions to accomplish MP tasks.”

It is on leaders to take the challenges from the virus and create training that combines the “who” and the “what” simultaneously to develop leaders. The COVID-19 constraint reduced

operations tempo, and scaled-back man-ning requirements created the perfect scenario to execute this concept.

As Fort Drum residents look out their windows, the MP is always present, still engaging with the community, reminding people that standards still exist in chaos. No matter how bad conditions get, no matter the death toll, MPs remain in the community and greet every resident and employee at the gate.

It is an MP Soldier’s duty to assist, pro-tect, and defend the Soldiers, civilians, and Family Members who reside and work on Fort Drum. Soldiers of 23rd MP Company held the standard while they worked the road and refuse to let the virus stop them in their mission to be lethal military policemen.

23 BURPEES

23 SQUATS

23 SIT UPS

3 LAPS

23 HAND RELEASE PUSH UPS

23 BOX JUMPS

23 CRUNCHES

3 LAPS


23 4-COUNT MOUNTAIN CLIMBERS

23 LEG TUCKS

3 LAPS

23 PULL UPS

23 LUNGES

23 4-COUNT FLUTTER KICKS

3 LAPS

23 CLOSE-GRIP PUSH UPS

23 SQUAT JUMPS

23 RUSSIAN TWISTS

3 LAPS


23 SQUATS

8 LAPS

23 MINUTES DELIBERATE STRETCH

“A pint of sweat will save a gallon of blood.” Gen. George S. Patton

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MILITARY POLICE UNIT FIGHTS COVID-19 AND PREPARES FOR DEPLOYMENT BY MASTER SGT. ANDY YOSHIMURA,

200TH MILITARY POLICE COMMAND

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“The reason that they are smiling is because they are beating COVID-19 and training at the same time,” said Lt. Col. Timothy Tyler, the commander of the 327th Military Police Battalion as he glanced toward a bleacher where his Soldiers practiced social distancing while carrying their assigned weapons waiting to fire.

Soldiers from the 327th along with the 822nd Military Police Company and the 79th Military Police Company spent two weeks in Camp Ripley training on their Mission Essential Task List along with familiarizing and qualifying with their assigned weapons during a unit verification process in preparation for an upcoming deployment.

Leaders made every effort in training their Soldiers and at the same time care for their welfare.

“We did not stray from the 200th Military Police Command guidance for COVID-19 mitigation, said Tyler. “The leaders stressed social distancing, hand washing, and face covering.”

Every Soldier within the 327th zeroed and qualified with the M4 Carbine. Most of the military policemen and corrections specialist qualified with either the M9 Pistol or the M17 Pistol as well. Soldiers that hold a Military Occupation Specialty outside those of law enforcement also qualified with a weapons system that they were not familiar with.

“I enjoy learning different weapons systems and being part of a military police unit has been an eye-opening experience,” said Spc. Katrina Chan, a preventive medical specialist with the 327th who qualified with the M320 Grenade Launcher.

“The way I see it is that I am not a liability but an asset as I know these weapons systems,” Chan added.

Soldiers also qualified with the M26 Modular Accessory Shotgun System, the M249 Light Machine Gun and the M240B Machine Gun.

The humid weather brought nagging gnats and mosquitos to Camp Ripley located right next to the Mississippi River. They did not bring the morale down of these warriors from the Midwest.

“Initially, when we first came out, because of Covid-19, the Soldiers were a little bit skittish, but now the Soldiers are loving the Army life,” said Command Sgt. Maj. Shawn Prevost, the com-mand sergeant major of the 327th.

“The Soldiers that are deploying are excited, the ones that are supporting the deployment are excited as well. They are working very well as a team. The morale is really topping out right now,” he added.

Sgt. 1st Class Cody Leisgang, a military policeman from Headquarters, Headquarters Company of the 327th understands that most of the Soldiers within the battalion barely handles mili-tary equipment and does not have an opportunity to train on the weapons as much.

“They don’t get to use it, and in the event that they have to deploy, and have to utilize the system, it would be great to know what they are doing and be effective with it,” said Leisgang. “You can tell they enjoy it and it makes us more ready.”

“You can tell some of them are little afraid of it at first but once when they get a chance to fire it, their eyes light up and you can see them get dialed into it and get comfortable with it, it’s good,” Leisgang added.

A week prior to the gunnery, the 327th completed detainee operation using COVID-19 restrictions and received high remarks during their unit validation. Every Soldier also qualified on their assigned during this epidemic.

“I will encourage every commander to train and fully follow the guidance provided by our senior leaders. We can do both, be safe and train to standard,” added Tyler.

Top right: Spc. Salvador Perez of the 327th Military Police Battalion shoots the M249 Light Machine Gun as Spc David Vazquez coaches during a qualification range here in Camp Ripley, Minnesota. Units are participating in the gunnery portion of the unit’s validation for deployment.

Bottom right: Sgt. Ira Dale, a military policeman with the 79th Military Police Company, fires the M17 Pistol during pistol qualification here in Camp Ripley, Minnesota. Units are participating in the gunnery portion of the unit’s validation for deployment.

Left: Pfc. Brady Brenner, a military police-man with the 327th Military Police Bat-talion, qualifies with the M4 Carbine here in Camp Ripley, Minnesota. The 327th is preparing for a future deployment.

(Photos by Master Sgt. Andy Yoshimura 200th Military Police Command.)

17

// MP Happenings

Before Sgt. Hunter Roth set off for the I Corps Best Warrior competition, his First Sergeant had two requirements for him.

“First, do as best as possible to crush every other competitor,” said 1st Sgt. Maurice Hendrixson of 66th Military Police Company. “Second, no quitting.”

This simple advice from his senior leader

was taken to heart by Roth, who took his his-tory of high achievement at 66th MP Co and demonstrated it at the highest level on Joint Base Lewis-McChord, to win I Corps Best Warrior. Roth will next compete at the U.S. Forces Command (FORSCOM) level, which will give him a chance to become the U.S. Army NCO of the Year.

Roth is a Military Policeman who has de-veloped a reputation at his unit for developing Soldiers and leading a high-performing team.

“Just by doing his daily job, it set him up for success with Best Warrior,” said Capt. Zachary Marciano, commander, 66th MP Co. “The approach he takes as a team leader every day within the company is what brought him to the top.”

As an example, Marciano described Roth’s approach with his team during the early days of quarantine, where he found creative ways to get his team members involved in physi-cal training while respecting the COVID-19 restrictions.

Hendrixson also pointed to the results of Roth’s team as the best expression of his leadership skills.

SGT Hunter Roth, a Military Police-man with 504th MP Bn, 42nd MP Bde,

competes in the 9-line MEDEVAC portion of the I Corps Best Warrior Competition. The 9-line MEDEVAC communication lane was part of the Mystery Event portion of the competition, where competitors did not know the specifics of the stage until they arrived at it. The I Corps Best Warrior drew competitors from all subordinate units on Joint Base Lewis-McChord. Roth was the NCO winner of I Corps Best Warrior.

18

j

“Leadership isn’t measured by PT or how well you shoot, it’s measured by how suc-cessful your team is,” said Hendrixson. “100 percent I would put his team against any other team in the battalion.”

Roth’s path toward I Corps Best Warrior began when he enlisted in the North Dakota National Guard as an MP. When he had the opportunity to cross over into active duty, he took it. During his time at 504th Military Police Battalion, Roth has helped safeguard JBLM and also deployed with 66th MP Co to the Southwest U.S. border in support of Department of Homeland Security.

The deployment brought new challenges for Roth. Instead of patrolling the familiar confines of JBLM, he and his team did shifts of 24-hour security for engineers installing concertina wire and other reinforcements along the U.S.-Mexico border. Roth and his teammates found themselves in a unique environment that was constantly changing.

“We were in the public eye and had to remain neutral, and be the utmost profes-sional that the Army requires,” said Roth, a native of Bismarck, N.D. and former MP in the North Dakota National Guard. “We had to remain vigilant for anything suspicious.”

1st Sgt. Shawn Bruner, who currently leads Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 42nd MP Brigade, saw Roth’s leadership and performance during 66th MP Co’s border deployment, and was not surprised at his former Soldier winning Best Warrior.

“He’s always a guy that is going above and beyond. He eats, sleeps and breathes Army,” said Bruner. “He’s the kind of Soldier who calls in the middle of the night to check on people. He took an APFT failure, and made him into one of the best PT guys in the company.”

Roth’s leadership and physical excel-lence helped push him to the top of Best Warrior, where he excelled at every

physical event and also impressed at the board and land navigation. Beyond compet-ing at FORSCOM Best Warrior, Roth’s next challenge starts next month when he reports for the first phase of training for the Army’s Explosive Ordnance Disposal course. If he graduates from the notoriously difficult EOD course, Roth will transition from an MP to an Explosive Ordnance Disposal Specialist (89D).

“EOD is the next echelon I hope I can achieve,” said Roth, who views EOD as a step beyond what he does as an MP in safeguarding the force. And his goals don’t end with com-pleting EOD training.

“I want to become a Green Beret, and a Command Sergeant Major,” said Roth. “I just want to surround myself with professionals of higher and higher skill sets. Steel sharpens steel.”

SGT Hunter Roth, 504th Military Police Bn, 42nd Military Police Bde, competes in the physical portion of the mystery stage during the I Corps Best Warrior Competition.

LTG Randy A. George, com-manding general, I Corps,

speaks with SGT Hunter Roth, 504th Military Police Bn, 42nd Military Police Bde, after he com-pleted the mystery stage of the I Corps Best Warrior Competition.

19

// MP Happenings

FIRST MP OFFICER TO EARN THE EXPERT SOLDIER BADGE ON JBLM

1LT Bryan Perry of 508th Military Police Detention Battalion, who became the first Protector officer to earn the Expert Soldier Badge. The since-promoted CPT Perry was a “Perfect Edge” first-time go at every station, and finished the culminating ruck march with 20 minutes to spare. The Expert Soldier Badge tests candidates on many warrior skills, and also requires them to pass the Army Combat Fitness Test with at least an 80 score in all events, and qualify as an expert on their assigned weapon. (Photo by Staff Sgt. Adam Ross-42nd Military Police Brigade.)

// MP Happenings

20

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Earning the Expert Soldier Badge (ESB) is not for the Faint of heart. You have to be strong willed, mentally and physically tough and have the intestinal fortitude to withstand the chal-

lenges set forth.In August forty Soldiers form the 8th Military Police Brigade

(MP BDE) began training in order to participate in the 25th Infantry Division’s ESB competition. The ESB kicked off September 25, with seven Soldiers from the brigade competing for the ESB, but in the end only two accomplished the mission.

Completely drained nonetheless standing proud, two Soldiers took turns placing a simple, yet prestigious, badge upon one another’s chest after five days of rigorous and meticulous proficiency testing.

The ESB was implemented in 2019 and is reserved for Soldiers who do not serve in the Infantry, Special Forces, or Medical Career Management Fields.

“The ESB is all about enhancing lethality and readiness of our Soldiers and the Army. It is unique in that it will give commanders outside the Infantry, Special Forces and Medical communities the

ability to recognize those that best demonstrate expertise and mastery of their craft as a Soldier,” said Command Sgt. Maj. Jeremy J. Peek, command sergeant major, 728th Military Police Battalion Military (MP BN), 8th Military Police Brigade (MP BDE).

On the morning of Sept. 25, 2020, Lt. Col. Albert D. Blaisdell, commander of the 728th MP BN, 8th MP BDE and Peek recognized 1st Lt. Shawn Meaney and Staff Sgt. Gilberto Bernard for being the first officer and noncommissioned officer (NCO) to earn the ESB while competing in 25th Infantry Division’s first ESB competition held in the Pacific.

The badge, though unique to specific military occupational spe-cialties, represent the time spent training, the dedication to excellence, and the commitment to being an expert in one’s craft. In order to earn the badge, candidates must qualify expert on their weapon, pass a physical fitness test, flawlessly complete 30 testing lanes, and complete a 12-mile foot march with a with the prescribed packing list weighing 35-poids in three hours.

Healthy competition between Soldiers isn’t unusual. It

First MPs to Earn the ESB in the 728th MP BNSTORY BY SFC LASONY J. MORALES, 8TH MILITARY POLICE BRIGADE | PHOTOS BY SFC LASONYA MORALES, 8TH MILITARY POLICE BRIGADE

Top photo: First Lt. Shawn Meaney, executive officer, 57th Military Police Company, 728th Military Police Battalion, 8th Military Police Brigade, and Staff Sgt. Gilberto Bernard, squad leader, 58th Military Police Company, 728th Military Police Battalion, 8th Military Police Brigade, earn the Expert Soldier Badge (ESB) during the 25th Infantry Division’s ESB Competition Sept. 21-25, 2020.

// MP Happenings

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pushes them to do their best and strive to be the best.

“Initially, I decided to try for the ESB as a competition between one of my Soldiers’ and I to see how far we could make it, and it was a huge wake-up call,” said Bernard, a squad leader, 58th Military Police Company, 728th MP BN, 8th MP BDE.

To Bernard, earning the ESB is more than just being one of the first military police to do so, it takes training, dedica-tion, and attention to detail to accom-

plish such a feat.“It was both physically and mentally challenging. Each day

brought on a new challenge to overcome, but it made me more proficient in tasks that I don’t perform daily as a military police,” concluded Bernard.

Meaney, executive officer, 57th Military Police Company, 728th MP BN, 8th MP BDE, is no stranger to competition.

“I compete in every competition I have the opportunity to be a part of, because I love it,” said Meaney. “Besides gaining the tactical skills from the training, you come away with confidence.”

These competitions can be extremely challenging for Soldiers. Especially those who don’t normally perform most of the task on a daily basis. However, that doesn’t mean they can’t be successful.

According to Meaney, “Soldiers need two things in order to be successful—patience and focus. Thirty lanes are a lot and can seem overwhelming, but when you break it down into ten lanes a day, and one lane at a time it’s not that bad. All tasks have a specific sequence,

and the sequences are not arbitrary, everything is done in a specific way for a reason, and if you understand the why behind the sequence (why one step happens before another) then it’s all too easy.

Bernard and Meaney said overall, it was a great experience, and both are looking forward to their next challenge, Bernard, Drill Sergeant and Meaney Jungle School.

In order to encourage more Soldiers to earn the ESB Peek has refocused Sergeant Time Training efforts for the next two quarters to focus on ESB related task.

“We are developing a centralized assessment effort at the battalion level that will mimic the testing experience at the division level,” said Peek.

In addition, Peek said, by recognizing, showcasing, and projecting the achievements of Meaney and Bernard, it is a daily reminder to the formation that they are experts in their craft, and that there is a tangible reward for pursuing excellence and WINNING MATTERS!

The 25th ID conducted the ESB and Expert Infantry Badge testing simultaneously in September and planning another opportunity for Soldier to earn their badge in the Spring of 2021.

Staff Sgt. Gilberto Bernard, squad leader, 58th Military Police Com-pany, 728th Military Police Battalion, 8th Military Police Brigade completes the 12-mile ruck march, during 25th Infantry Division’s Expert Soldier Badge Competition, Sept. 25, 2020.

First Lt. Shawn Meaney, executive officer, 57th Military Police Com-pany, 728th Military Police Battalion, 8th Military Police Brigade completes the 12-mile ruck march during 25th Infantry Division’s Expert Soldier Badge Competition, Sept. 25, 2020.

23

The Eighth Army Military Working Dog (MWD) Program under the command of United States Forces Korea (USFK) is one of the primary lines of defense throughout the Republic of Korea (ROK) in detecting illegal contraband, providing community policing, and deterring threats from North Korea and our enemies. MWDs proved a vital and extremely beneficial asset in the protection of South Korea and its citizens for over seven decades. Throughout the last 70 years, the Eighth Army MWD Program evolved significantly; however, the capabilities of this asset remain a crucial part of the ROK-US Alliance.

THE WAR IN KOREAPrior to the start of the Korean War in

1950, the Army had more than 100 dogs stationed in Korea, beginning with the United States Army’s sentry dogs. While primarily stationed in Seoul, Korea, these MWDs provided a remarkable reduction in theft and pilferage around warehouses and storage areas. Although MWDs were greatly beneficial in their performance of sentry duties, the rising hostilities in Korea ultimately altered their mission in Korea and increased their demand. This brought many changes to the MWD program.

On 30 June 1950, five days after the initial start of the Korean War, a major-ity of MWDs conducting sentry duties either died or starved to death following the North Koreans massive attack in retaking the city of Seoul. Despite this event, the United Nations only agreed to provide American troops in Korea to assist with pushing the North Koreans

back across the 38th parallel; however, this was short-lived as the Chinese aided the North Koreans in recapturing Seoul on 26 November 1950.

During this time there was only one active-duty MWD platoon in the Army, located at Fort Riley, Kansas. The 26th Infantry Scout Dog Platoon’s primary mis-sion was touring the United States to con-duct demonstrations, television appearances,

Australian dog team supporting the Korean War.

BY WILLIAM C. MORTON, MSG, USA, MWD PROGRAM MANAGER, EIGHTH ARMY PMO

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// Around the World

and training with various infantry units during field exercises. Although not in their current scope of duties, the 26th Scout Dog Platoon received their orders to proceed to Korea in May 1951. The original orders only requested a squad consisting of 7 handlers and 6 scout dogs attached to the 2nd Infantry Division upon arrival. The remaining personnel, 13 handlers, 20 scout dogs, and 1 officer joined the squad ten months later. Throughout the next year the 26th Infantry Scout Platoon continuously conducted night patrols, opening the eyes of regimental commanders to the value these dogs brought to the battlefield. Additionally, patrols would often refuse to go out on missions without them. Unfortunately, the platoon was too small to fulfill the constant demand.

On 27 February 1953 the Eighth United States Army produced General Order, Department of the Army, No. 21 for the 26th Infantry Scout Dog Platoon as follows:The 26th Infantry Scout Platoon is cited for exceptionally

meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding ser-vices in direct support of combat operations in Korea during the period of 12 June 1951 to 15 January 1953. The 26th Infantry Scout Dog Platoon, during its service in Korea, has participated in hundreds of combat patrol actions by sup-porting the patrols with the services of an expert scout dog handler and his highly trained scout dog.The members of the 26th Infantry Scout Dog Platoon

while participating in these patrols were invariably located at the most vulnerable points in the patrol formation in order that the special aptitudes of the trained dog could be most advantageously used to give warning of the pres-ence of the enemy. The unbroken record of faithful and gallant performance of these missions by the individual handlers and their dogs in support of patrols has saved countless casualties through giving early warning to the friendly patrol of threats to its security.The full value of the services rendered by the 26th

Infantry Scout Dog Platoon is nowhere better understood and more highly recognized than among the members of the patrols with whom the scout dog handlers and their dogs have operated. When not committed to action, the Soldiers of the 26th Infantry Scout Dog Platoon have given unfailing efforts to further developing their person-al skills as well as that of their dogs in order to better

perform the rigorous duties which are required of them while on patrol.Throughout its long period of difficult and hazardous

service, the 26th Infantry Scout Dog Platoon has never failed those with whom it served, has consistently shown outstand-ing devotion to duty in performance of all of its other duties, and has won on the battlefield a degree of respect and admiration which has established it as a unit of the greatest importance to the Eighth United States Army.The outstanding performance of duty proficiency, and es-

prit de corps invariably exhibited by the personnel of this platoon reflect the greatest credit on themselves and the military service of the United States.

(General Orders 114, Headquarters, Eighth United States Army, Korea, 18 January 1953)

The performance of the 26th Scout Dog Platoon led the Army to approve the attachment of a scout dog platoon to each of the 5 Infantry Divisions in Korea. The Korean War reached an armistice before those platoons trained and proceeded to Korea. Eighth Army retained the scout dog teams unassigned to Infantry Divisions where they continued conducting sentry work along the DMZ with various units.

A PERIOD OF TRANSITIONAt the end of the Korean Conflict and signing of the Korean

Armistice the United Nations used less than 500 dogs collectively within their ground forces. Most of the dogs provided were from the United States, but Great Britain, Australia, Canada, and New Zealand also provided patrol dogs extensively used by ground forces.

Throughout the Korean War, the demand for MWDs grew. This led to the Army’s proponent for the dog program shifting from the Quartermaster Corps to the Military Police Corps in 1951. The origi-nal dog training facility located at Fort Riley, Kansas relocated to Fort Carson, Colorado. The Army established a dog receiving and hold-ing facility at Cameron Station in Alexandria, Virginia. Scout dogs became a valuable commodity during the Korean War. Following the end of the Korean War the training of scout dogs ceased. It was not until United States involvement with the Vietnam War that the Army recognized its need for a return to its dog program.

Between the Korean and Vietnam Wars, several changes occurred within the MWD program. In 1957, the Army selected the German Shepherd breed as the standard for Military Working Dogs and closed its dog school at Fort Carson, Colorado. The closure of the Army’s dog training facility led to the Air Force to train all Department of Defense sentry dogs at Lackland Air Force Base, Texas beginning in October 1958. The value and necessity to maintain these dogs in the military continued to increase and the diversity of dogs began to evolve. Between 1960 and 1970, the Army, Air Force, and Navy initiated training dogs for law enforcement duties and drug detection, adopting procedures from their civilian policing counterparts. During the 1980s, the military services began training dogs to detect explosives as the proliferation of terrorism persisted. The versatility of the MWD once again proved its value as a force multiplier in the face of an evolving threat.

THE MODERN MWD PROGRAM IN KOREAFrom the Korean War to present day the Army’s MWD program

underwent a multitude of transformations. From the change in propo-nents, types of dogs utilized, training and most recently the transition

Demonstration for Soldier Job Fair at Camp Casey, Korea.

25

to its own Military Occupational Specialty (MOS), 31K, the pro-gram’s capabilities continue to expand. Nowhere is that transforma-tion from the 1950s more evident than here in Korea. Eighth Army currently has 2 MWD Detachments assigned to the 94th Military Police Battalion, consisting of over 30 handlers and MWDs. These units spread across the peninsula to support law enforcement opera-tions, drug and explosive detection, the United States Secret Service, and tenant units under the command of the USFK. While the Eighth Army MWD program appears small in comparison to other MWD programs, the level of support provided to USFK, Eighth Army, and the Republic of Korea is crucial in preserving the readiness of the force and continuously “Ready to Fight Tonight”.

As most Soldiers assigned to Korea, a majority arrive on unac-companied overseas (hardship) tours for 12 months and a large portion come directly from Advanced Individual Training (AIT) as their first duty assignment. While these circumstances can put strain on any unit, the unique requirements of the 31K MOS add an additional challenge to the mission. All MWD handlers must train and certify within 120 days of assignment prior to any operational assignment. When including the additional training requirements placed on all Military Police law enforcement professionals, as well as 30 days of mid-tour leave, the amount of functional time a han-dler can employ their MWD disappears quickly. These constraints of a 12-month tour make shortening the length of time to certify a priority for the leadership.

As a MWD handler you must know, understand, and execute your duties and responsibilities with your assigned MWD. This task can be quite daunting to an inexperienced Soldier now faced with articulating their duties and responsibilities to a senior ranking unit commander or Provost Marshal. Prior to the advent of the 31K MOS in 2014, newly assigned MWD handlers were new to dog handling, but their 3 to 5 years of experience (on average) as Soldiers helped mitigate the steep learning curve of this technical skill. However, the change brought on by receiving MWD handlers straight from AIT meant that they carry the extra burden of learning the intricacies that

Eighth Army and Korean Custom MWD handlers joined together to compete in the 7th Annual Korean Customs and Border Control Competition from 4-7 November 2019 hosted in Incheon, South Korea. This significant event has built lasting partnerships with our Korean MWD counterparts and strengthened our US-ROK alliance.

PFC Borrett conducting decoy work with MWD Vendel during Decoy & Behavior.

26

come with dog training while simultaneously going through their Soldierization process. This required a shift in thinking from leaders at all levels to balance the inexperience of these incoming Soldiers with the need to get them trained and ready in the shortest time possible.

Throughout the past 6 years, our leaders have worked diligently in providing mentorship, guidance, and expertise to all the MWD handlers assigned to Eighth Army. The constant challenge of training and certifying new Soldiers is universal across the Army. Each leader and Soldier assigned here faces this same unique set of circumstances. Eighth Army, in collaboration with the 94th Military Police Battalion, worked extensively to streamline the reception and integration process, significantly decreasing time between arrival and assignment to an MWD. The priorities became MWD assign-ment, consistent training 6 days a week, and certification of the MWD team. This led a majority of MWD teams in successfully certifying within 30 to 90 days upon arrival to Korea. Once certi-fied, handlers entered mandatory law enforcement certification, tactical drivers training as well as additional advanced training. With this culture shift in the last 12-18 months, a 50% increase in the Foreign Service Tour Extensions (FSTE), Army Incentive Program (AIP), and Command Sponsorship Program is strengthen-ing the Eighth Army’s MWD program readiness. The unity of effort from the Eighth Army, 94th Military Police Battalion, and MWD Detachment leadership is making Korea an “Assignment of Choice” for MWD handlers and their Families. In addition, the unique training, travel, and recreational activities throughout Korea and the Pacific region provide a plethora of opportunities for Soldiers and their Families to enjoy during their assignment.

Like all Soldiers stationed here in Korea, MWD handlers will shortly PCS to another unit where the training process begins again with a new dog and the potential to deploy at a moment’s notice should their Army call upon them. Although some leaders and handlers experienced more difficulties than others, they all succeeded in the end.

PREPARING FOR FUTURE THREATSIn Korea, we must constantly prepare our Soldiers against the

persistent threat from North Korea. Eighth Army’s MWD Program prepares for regional threats through joint training with our sister

services, tenant units, the FBI, the Korean Customs and Border Control and Korean National Police. Over the last seven years, MWD teams in Korea participated in the Annual Korean Customs and Border Control Competition, which continues to build a lasting relationship with our Korean partners and aids in the exchange of current tactics, techniques, and procedures (TTP). In February 2020, MWD teams conducted the first joint training in Guam with the FBI, Guam International Airport Police, Air Force, TSA, and other MWD teams from Japan. Annually, Eighth Army hosts a Decoy and Behavior Seminar instructing handlers at all levels of experience through classroom and hands-on practical ex-perience in MWD behaviors, proper equipment and techniques when utilizing a full body bite suit, agitation sleeves in various forms, and civil

agitation. These training events enhanced the capabilities of MWD teams within the Pacific on current worldwide threats, encouraged esprit de corps between partner nations and other governmental agencies, and provided an opportunity for all MWD teams to dis-play their specific capabilities.

Additionally, the 94th Military Police Battalion incorporates its MWD teams into their quarterly Combined Training Events and MP Company Squad lanes. This realistic training provides MWD teams the ability to effectively communicate their capabilities to commanders as well as collectively engage in Military Police opera-tions and live-fire ranges. MWD handlers from all experience levels integrate in operations that will assist MWD teams, prepare them for contingency operations worldwide, and identify gaps for the institution of additional training.

In forthcoming training events, MWD teams will have the op-portunity to experience joint training with our Army medics and veterinarians through combat-oriented training lanes geared specifi-cally to providing first aid for their assigned MWD. Furthermore, MWD teams will request a MEDEVAC and participate in live hoist training. Soldiers will conduct Water Survival training at the LTG Thomas Vandal training facility at Camp Humphreys consisting of drown proofing, water aggression, and proper water entry for their MWDs as well. Eighth Army continually examines training TTPs in preparing against prominent threats to our force, the Republic of Korea, and the Pacific area of operations.

A RICH HERITAGE PAVES THE WAY FOR A BRIGHT FUTURE

MWDs were an integral part of Korea’s past, beginning with the meritorious service and accomplishments of the 26th Infantry Scout Dog Platoon in the Korean War. Since that time, the MWD program continued to grow, improve, and support the USFK com-mand and the citizens of the Republic of Korea. With its ability to detect and deter threats, the MWD remains as critical an asset now as it has at any time over the past 70 years. The commitment to its Soldiers and their Families makes an assignment to Eighth Army as an MWD handler in Korea a terrific opportunity to add to this rich heritage.

SGT Rivera & MWD Freddy conducting joint training in Guam with the FBI.

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MSG Kevin Presgraves enlisted into the Army more than seventeen years ago and attended Basic Training at Ft Jackson, SC. Immediately after he went to Ft Leonard Wood, MO for his Advanced Individual Training as a Military Policeman.

After completion of AIT he reported to Ft Campbell, KY where he has served as a Military Police Gunner, Driver, Team Leader, Personal Security Officer, Patrolman, Squad Leader and Patrol Supervisor in the 101st ABN DIV (AASLT), 4th BCT, 506th Regimental Combat Team “Currahee” where he also served a 12 month tour of Duty in Iraq as a Personal Security Officer for the Regimental Commander and 12 months Afghanistan where he served as a squad leader. Once he returned from Afghanistan he was afforded a unique opportu-nity to interview for the 101st Parachute Demonstration Team.

However, when he was asked if he would you like to interview for the “Demo Team”. Since he worked with 10th SFG in Afghanistan on various missions he thought that it was an interview for a demolitions team. Having no airborne or free fall experi-ence and also being afraid of heights he had no idea what he was in for. He interviewed with the Demo Team Leader and explained the misunderstanding and that he did not want to be on the team and his lack of quali-fications. The TL saw potential and accepted him on the team, 3 short days later SSG (R) John Young took MSG Presgraves on his first tandem jump. MSG Presgraves hated it, his biggest fear just smacked him in the face. However, after not being able to eat or sleep

for 3 days after MSG Presgraves stepped up and accepted the mission as he did not want his fear to defeat him. The instruc-tors on the team began free fall training for MSG Presgraves. Once he hit 13 jumps the command made him the team leader, MSG Presgraves knew he had no choice but to be a quick study. He dove into the books to understand parachute demonstrations for the American public. He needed a minimum of 200 jumps to jump into an Airshow on an airfield and 500 jumps, a D-License, and a Professional Exhibition Rating (PRO) to jump into a 100ft x 100ft square or a major league stadium. MSG Presgraves made those 500 jumps within 6 months and keep in mind that he did not jump every day. MSG Presgraves ran that team for 2 years before trying out the U.S. Army Parachute Team “Golden Knights”.

In 2011, SFC Presgraves attended the rigorous Assessment and Selection Program for the United States Army Parachute Team. Upon completion of the program, he was knighted and assigned to the Gold Demonstration Team. In 2014 he took over as Team Leader of the Black Demonstration Team until SEP 2017 when he assumed re-sponsibility as HHC 1SG. Today he is not only the 1SG but the Battalion Operations SGM.

Prior to making the “Golden Knights” he was a recipient of the Purple Heart, two Bronze Star Medals, three Army Commendations, two Army Achievement Medals, Air Assault Badge, Combat Action Badge, Driver’s Badge and the Major General Aubrey “Red” Newman award.

Since his assignment to the team he has

earned his ABN and MFF (Halo) Badge and a MSM.

As some would say jumping out of a per-fectly good airplane kept me in the Army. In 2009 when I returned from Afghanistan I was at the end of my contract and I was on my way out, I had plans to go into law enforce-ment in Florida or be a contractor overseas. Once I went to my first show and engaged the American Public as an Ambassador for the Army and the Military Police Corps, I was hooked. It has been a very rewarding assignment to travel the world and tell my Army story and explain what the Army has provided me and my family. I would have been out 11 years ago now and honestly, I have no way of knowing what I would have or would not have been doing. Since I made the decision to stay in and continue serving in a different capacity, I have seen all but about 6 states, been to 4 countries besides Iraq and Afghanistan and been promoted 2 more times than I thought possible. I was a SSG when I sat down for the interview and I am now yet again having my Army story told as a MSG. The most important of all these years is I met the love of my life SFC Kaleigh Presgraves. Had I not stayed in the military I would have never crossed paths with her.

For more information, visit: www.goarmy.com/events/golden-knights.html

Questions? Email: [email protected]

How One MP Became a Golden KnightBY MSG KEVIN L. PRESGRAVES, HEADQUARTERS FIRST SERGEANT, BATTALION S-3 NCOIC

PHOTOS PROVIDED BY MSG PRESGRAVES

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PHOTOS PROVIDED BY MSG PRESGRAVES

BY SGT. EVAN RUCHOTZKE

Soldiers with the 527th Military Police Company, 709th Military Police Battalion, 18th Military Police Brigade, participated in an Abrams Reactive Armor Tile, or M19, installation training at Bergen-Hohne Training Area, Germany, July 10, 2020.

The unique-two-phase training exercise saw military police rapidly install the ARAT system to defend the M1 Abrams Main Battle Tank from rocket propelled grenades and similar munitions. Following the tile installation, the Abrams were loaded on M1300 Enhanced Heavy Equipment Transport Systems, a tank transport vehicle capable of traversing German roads.

“This is really different because this would normally be an Abrams crew doing the installation,” said Charles Merten, senior command representative for the 405th Army Field Support Brigade.

According to Merten, the 527th Soldiers were the first military police company to perform the installation process.

“The tile reacts when it’s hit by an RPG,” Merten said. “It will react and blow the explosion away from the tank -- protecting the tank and the crew. It’s useful because it can keep the vehicle tracks on, and the vehicle and its crew in the mission.”

A four person crew slides the tiles into place on a pre-installed rack on the side of the Abrams. A total of 62 tiles, 31 on either flank, are put into place by the team. Each tile weighs 65 pounds which adds another two tons of weight to the already 67 ton Abrams. The MPs took turns working as a four person crew install-ing then uninstalling the ARAT system on four Abrams.

“I’m always so absolutely impressed with my Soldier’s efforts,” said Col. Timothy J.

An M1 Abrams Main Battle Tank is brought to an installation site to be equipped with Abrams Reactive Armor Tiles at Bergen-Hohne Training Area, Germany, July 10, 2020 prior to phase two of DEFENDER-Europe 20.

18TH MP BRIGADE INSTALLS ARAT TILES

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MacDonald, commander of the 18th Military Police Brigade.

“While we are military policemen, we’re always Soldiers first, so we do whatever it takes to accomplish the mission,” he said. “A lot of effort goes into planning events like this and it takes a team of teams to put it all together.

“Of course the weather doesn’t ever cooperate,” said MacDonald who laughed as it began to rain heavily. “But that makes safety paramount, and we always have to take care of most precious assets -- which are our soldiers.”

After installing the ARAT system, maintenance crews took the newly equipped tanks on a test drive to familiarize themselves with the additional width and weight of the system. Adding to the already innovative training was the implementation of a new vehicle transport system, the M1300 EHET.

“This is very different,” said Staff Sgt. Delio Velazquez, a squad leader and master driver at Bergen Hohne Training Area. “German roads and bridges are very narrow so we have to be careful to find the proper routes to drive these.

“This is the second time these new EHETs are coming out and using the tracks,” said Velazquez. “The old ones were too wide and too heavy.”

After concluding the loading operations a Geran crew weighed the vehicles to ensure they met specifications.

“Once we got everyone on site, things went off smoothly,” said MacDonald after the weigh-in was complete. “I’m very, very proud of this team!”

“We remain here, we remain ready and we’re postured in Europe,” MacDonald said. “This is a small piece of Defender 20 Plus, but it’s important. It takes all these smaller exercises to come together to give a greater understanding of our posture and we’re happy to play our part.”

DEFENDER-Europe 20 was designed as a deployment exer-cise to build strategic readiness in support of the U.S. National Defense Strategy and NATO deterrence objectives. In response to COVID-19, DEFENDER-Europe 20 was modified in size and scope. Phase I of the modified DEFENDER-Europe 20 was linked exercise Allied Spirit, which took place at Drawsko Pomorskie Training Area, Poland, June 5-19, with approximately 6,000 U.S. and Polish Soldiers. In Phase II of the modified DEFENDER-Europe 20, a U.S.-based combined arms battalion will conduct an Emergency Deployment Readiness Exercise to Europe July 14 – Aug. 22. For more information about DEFENDER-Europe, visit www.eur.army.mil/DefenderEurope.

Soldiers with 527th Military Police Company, 709 Military Police Battalion, 18th Military Police Brigade, install Abrams Reactive Armor Tiles at Bergen-Hohne Training Area, Germany, July 10, 2020 prior to phase two of DEFENDER-Europe 20.

3131

HONORING

In 2008, General David H. Petraeus described MWDs as an

“incredibly valuable resource,” due to the unique and immense

capabilities they provide our Army. From supporting law

enforcement operations at home, to saving countless U.S. Soldiers

in deployed environments, Baron and Hoky are certainly no

exception to this sentiment after a combined 17 years of service to

the U.S. Army and our Great Nation.

The 8th MP Bde. Commander, Col. Michelle M. Goyette, presented

Baron and Hoky’s adopted families with a “Watchdog for Life”

certificate in recognition of their valiant contributions to the

Brigade. At the conclusion of the ceremony, Baron and Hoky were

formally dismissed of their official duties to the U.S. Army and

entered a rightfully earned retirement.

Military Working Dog ServiceBY 2ND LT. BRENDON M. WAMSLEY, 520TH MILITARY POLICE DETACHMENT (MWD)

On May 14, 2020, the 520th Military Police Detachment (MWD) at Schofield Barracks, Hawaii held a retirement ceremony to celebrate two Military Working Dogs (MWDs), Baron (R047) and Hoky (T677). The ceremony – held at the Installation kennels – was crafted in a style that mirrored the New York City Police Department’s retirement of working horses. Each MWD’s harness was removed to symbolize the end of their military career and then, in the spirit of aloha, replaced with kokua nut and personalized 728th Military Police Battalion leis. After sharing a brief history of the MWD program in the Army, Baron and Hoky’s exceptional military careers were highlighted.

BARONBaron was born Oct. 1, 2009 in Europe. He entered training at Lackland Air Force Base, Texas in Mar. 2011. Baron was assigned to be a Patrol Explosive Detector Dog (PEDD) and moved quick-ly through his training. After qualification, he moved directly to the 520th MP Det. (MWD) in Oct. 2011. Baron deployed a total of four times, spending two tours in Afghanistan and two in Iraq. His last deployment included discover-ies of explosive materials, crush wire, ammunition, and weapons on more than 10 separate oc-casions; he even assisted in locating Indirect Fire (IDF) rounds after an attack on Al Asad Airbase, Iraq. Baron re-tired to the home of his pre-vious handler, Spc. Ashley F. Opstelten, a Warfighter still serving in the 728th Military Police Battalion.

HOKYHoky was born Dec. 7, 2010 in Europe and entered training at Lackland Air Force Base, Texas in Mar. 2013, just two years after Baron. He was assigned to be a Patrol Drug Detector Dog (PDDD), and once qualified, shipped to the 549th Military Police Detachment (MWD) at Fort Wainwright, Alaska in Dec. 2014. Due to the harsh climate, Hoky’s wellbeing was compromised. For his best interest, Hoky was laterally transferred to the 520th MP Det. (MWD) in Hawaii. Hoky arrived on island in Oct. 2017 where he served the community with 14 positive responses of illicit substances within U.S. Army Garrison – Hawaii (USAG-HI). Hoky retired to the home of Command Sgt. Maj. Matthew J. Selvaggio, 8th Military Police Brigade, and his wife, Chris.

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Spc Elijah Springer is the first 31K Soldier

to be reenlisted in front of the latest monu-

ment — a Military Police working dog — at

the Military Police Regimental Walkway and

Memorial Grove. The statue was modeled

after Spc Springer’s military working dog,

Alec. Spc Elijah Springer reenlisted for five

years in the United States Army as a Military

Police working dog handler. He currently

serves as a patrol explosive detection dog

handler with the 180th MP Det at Fort

Leonard Wood, Missouri.

MP Soldier Reenlisted at the Military Police Regimental Walkway

If I ate at all during the day, it was usually a Suzy Q dessert cake with a diet coke. Dinner usually consisted of trading ice cream sundaes from the Baskin Robbins I worked at for pizza with the boys who worked at the Dominos next door.

As a teenager, my mom made me cook dinner once a week for our family. And, every week, I made the same thing — round steak in rich gravy with mashed potatoes. It was a simple dish involving round steak, onion soup mix, cream of mushroom soup, some flour and water. Preparing this recipe offered an outlet to relieve my frustrations revolving around the chore itself, as I had to tenderize the meat before cooking.

As a college student — my skillset no further refined at this point — I recall a concoction that consisted of hot dogs, macaroni noodles with honey and an exor-bitant amount of ramen. Grocery shopping meant stealing food (and beer) from my dad’s house.

I also worked at Subway, so I never lacked sandwich makings, including plenty of expired cold cuts stored in the refrigerator in our walk-up apartment off State Street near the University of Wisconsin – Madison. If I wasn’t eating at home, I would eat bean burritos from Taco Bell — back then I could get two or three for less than $2.

After college, I found my-self on the West Coast with a want-to-be-rock-star boyfriend. I was following the low-fat eating guidance of Susan Powter’s “Stop the Insanity!” Powter was a spikey haired, loud-mouthed health and fitness guru during the early 90s who yelled, “Stop the Insanity” during her infomercials. I recall substituting shredded carrots for cheese on low fat pizzas and living a vegetarian lifestyle for a while.

The premise of this lifestyle was to eliminate fat from your diet to the greatest extent possible. I eventually discovered that flavor is in the fat; so a low-fat lifestyle did

little to titillate my culinary experi-ence and made meal preparation a chore. Why bother being creative in the kitchen when the resulting meals were boring and flavorless?

I did, however, lose all the weight from college, which was great when I found an Army recruiter who told me about the student loan repayment program. It was a relief that I didn’t have to worry about losing weight before basic training — something many people struggle with before enter-ing the service. Once in training, the low fat, vegetarian lifestyle was thrown out because I was astoundingly hungry all the time due to the strenuous training.

Over the years, I’ve gained and lost hundreds of pounds; and honestly, I am fat and happy right now. I’ve developed a love for food and cooking, catalyzed and perfected throughout 22 years of marriage. I guess that getting married brought out an instinct to take care of my husband. Some days I regret this because the man is spoiled rotten. But, having nice meals together as a family is still something we do more often than not. Even when it was just the two of us, we would sit at the kitchen table, turn off the television and have our evening meal together.

My cooking skills didn’t come overnight — it took time and

BY JEAN CLAVETTE GRAVES

I haven’t always loved cooking; and once upon a time, I was an extremely picky eater. My aversions led to plucking onions out of everything, refusing the idea that nuts belonged in any dessert, denying that fruits could be included in salads or pizza and protesting even the prospect of consuming corn tortillas. In high school I’d skip lunch and, instead, drove around smoking ciga-rettes with my hooligan friends.

Pictured from left to right are Sgt 1st Class Joshua Lambert, Cpl. Gage Ybarra, Spc. Collin Ronje, 1st Lt. Evan Wachowski, 511th Mili-tary Police Company, 91st Military Police Battalion, 10th Mountain Division, eating a batch of red beans and rice made for them during a Joint Readiness Training Center rotation in Feb. 2019. Photo by Christy Graham Fort Polk Public Affairs Office

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patience. After our first year of marriage, I wanted to make my husband a nice Southern meal (he is from South Carolina). I will remind you that I am from Wisconsin and Southern cooking in 1999 was not only something I wasn’t familiar with; it was some-thing I simply didn’t know how to do. The meal I chose was a chili cornbread casserole, and I was so proud. It looked and smelled delicious.

With the golden buttery cornbread crust over chili (which I probably got from a can) bub-bling and ready to eat, I served the dish to my husband. He took one bite, and his face said, “THIS IS NOT GOOD!” I was upset and heartbroken — I probably started crying. I said, “You don’t like this? I made this special Southern meal just for you, and you don’t even like it?”

Well, he kept eating it, trying hard to show the enthusiasm and enjoyment on his face. I finally took a bite — rancid. The corn-meal was rancid! Bless his heart; he was going to eat it all just to make me happy. I guess I knew then that he was a keeper.

After hundreds of recipes, doz-ens of cookbooks, thousands of home-cooked meals and countless hours of Food Network viewings, I can finally say that I am a pretty decent cook. I’ve learned to love cooking; enjoying the experimen-tation of different techniques and cuisines. I like picking up fresh produce at the farmers market and making something special. I relish spending hours on a weekend

making homemade breads, pies, de-veining shrimp, cooking meats low and slow, standing at the stove stirring homemade roux to the darkest richest brown, chopping veggies, firing up the grill, using my kitchen gadgets and creat-ing something delicious for my family.

Today, when I get a craving, I can look at several recipes, then close my web browser, cookbook or foodie magazine and make it. Sometimes this is problematic because I’m unable to duplicate the meal when I don’t follow a recipe. Still, this ability in the kitchen has proven just as useful as it is tasty.

With the emerging trend of sharing food via social media, my love of cooking and sharing that skill has transferred online. I love to cook, and I want to share my creations with the world through photos. Although I’m glad there was no social media when I was in high school or college, (there would probably be some pretty embarrassing photos of me if there had been) I’m a huge fan of social media now, especially Instagram. I will often make my husband wait to eat while I plate three separate dishes and pick the most aesthetically pleasing one to photograph and post.

I also like to share my food with my friends in person.

Last year, I learned a friend’s son would be participating in a rotation here at the Joint Readiness Training Center and Fort Polk with his military police unit from Fort Drum. I’m the

spouse of a retired MP, and I know it’s a small world that likes to take care of its own. I also knew that, if my son were at Fort Leonard Wood, my friend would’ve taken care of him, so I offered to feed her son. He was unable to leave the installation and come to dinner, so I decided to feed his whole platoon on base. My son and I served them twice: The first day was red beans and rice and the next was gumbo and King Cake. The Soldiers were so appreciative and complimentary. Their gratitude made me feel happy and fulfilled — moments like these help to carve and refine my love of cooking and sharing good food with others.

I’ve had friends even sug-gest I write a cookbook, open a restaurant, food truck or catering business, but then it would be work — and, honestly, who likes to work? For me cooking is a pas-sion, it is art, my hobby and a joy. I cook for the love of my family and friends, not financial gain.

When my son has food at a restaurant or even gumbo in southern Louisiana (remember I’m from Wisconsin) and he says, “Mom, yours is so much better,” my heart melts.

One day, he’ll be on his own and I hope he remembers how much I loved him and showed it through the lunches I packed and dinners I served. I hope he knows that all of that work was out of pure love and devotion to him and his daddy.

I’m proud to see this love of cooking in my son as well. He

has developed an amazing palate and some great techniques for a 16-year-old kid. As an Eagle Scout, he not only earned his cooking merit badge, he has become quite skilled at outdoor Dutch oven cooking.

During the COVID-19 stay at home order, we did a “Chopped” challenge at the house that we filmed and shared on Instagram. “Chopped” is a Food Network reality/competition show where contestants have limited time to prepare complicated and delicious meals to then be judged, chosen or “chopped.” His dish turned out so much better than mine. I couldn’t get my noodles cooked in the short time we allowed ourselves. We are planning a rematch soon; and this time, he’s going down!

People have asked me to teach them how to cook. I always tell them to find a recipe, follow the directions and get started. I didn’t develop my skills over-night; I just kept at it and slowly acquired new techniques through numerous recipes and learning different cuisines. Like anything, practice makes perfect. Julia Childs once said, “You don’t have to cook fancy or complicated masterpieces — just good food from fresh ingredients.”

I prepare meals for my family nearly every day, even after the challenges of my professional life. To me, I find cooking to be a peaceful and productive way to un-wind after a long day. The results, 15–20 minutes spent at the table with my family, make the efforts all worthwhile.

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For years, the mission of Military Police Basic Combat Training units is to mold civilians into professional Soldiers who are ready to defend the United States of America. Basic Combat Training units waste no time in transforming civilians into Soldiers. With the protective

measures taken in the COVID-19 environment, new trainees no longer arrive to their unit and immediately begin their first phase in training, rather trainees go through a two-week medical monitoring period. So, how are Drill Sergeants truly motivating them to be the best Soldier they can be? A new motivational event may be the answer— Operation Hammer Drop captures a glimpse of many assets and skills the force has to offer. The events are intended to motivate and focus trainees on their future after basic training. Some of these events and demonstrations include; Blackhawk medical evacuation request with support from the 1-135th Assault Helicopter Battalion, tactical vehicle assault by Advanced Law Enforcement Training Division (ALETD) Special Reaction Team (SRT) and K9 demonstrations by 252nd/180th Military Police Detachment (MWD). Following the demonstrations, static displays are available for trainees to have the first look at the capabilities the Military Police Corps has to offer. Operation Hammer Drop also includes a team building exercise that helps build cohesiveness among trainees through positive experience and prepare them for the 19 weeks to come and their future in the Military Police Corps following graduation.

The 795th Military Police Battalion, 14th Military Police Brigade designed Operation Hammer Drop to motivate Basic Combat trainees to inspire them on what they can achieve after the grueling 19-weeks

it takes to earn the title “Military Police Soldier”. Lieutenant Colonel Jonathan Yasuda, 795th Military Police Battalion Commander, said, “This motivational event will give these Soldiers an idea of what they can expect in the field and inspire them to successfully complete Basic Combat and Advanced Individual Training.” The one day event demonstrates to these trainees the different capabilities the Military Police Corps has to offer. Trainees have the ability to not only observe, but experience hands-on what the Military Police Corps can offer upon completion of One Station Unit Training (OSUT).

The first Operation Hammer Drop, has already proven to be suc-cessful. Trainees were ready to start their 19-week course with a better understanding of what their future could hold. OSUT class 15-20, had an exceptional inspirational event and was introduced to the Military Police capabilities as a motivational transition from yellow phase (medical monitoring) into red phase of Military Police OSUT. In the hopes to continue motivation and pursue inspiration in all trainees, Operation Hammer Drop will be executed for every class in the 14th Military Police Brigade.

The 795th Military Police Battalion S3, CPT Christopher Parker, identified how this event built, not only trainee motivation but also the battalion networking when he said, “Planning and coordinating this event really strengthened the 795th Military Police Battalion’s network by working with all the different assets on Fort Leonard Wood. This event also opened up opportunities for advance cadre training during cycle breaks.”

BY CPT PEREGORY, AUSTIN, 795TH MILITARY POLICE BATTALION, S3

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// Tomorrow’s MP

S4 OIC 1LT Zachary Hinson, HHD, 795th Military Police Battalion, 14th Mili-tary Police Brigade volunteers to wear the K-9 bite suit during the 252nd/180th Military Police Detachment (MWD) High Risk Traffic Stop. Pictured above is SPC Erick Miranda and MWD Argo. Photo by SGT Pierre Burts.

Trainees of Alpha Company, 795th Military Police Battalion, 14th Military Police Brigade, wait for Operation Hammer Drop to kick off at Fort Leonard Wood, MO., August 12, 2020. The trainees are pre-paring for a 19-week training cycle. Photo by SSG Karl Keller.

Advanced Law Enforcement Training Division (ALETD) Special Reac-tion Team (SRT) conducts a tactical vehicle assault on Fort Leonard Wood, MO., during Operation Hammer Drop as a motivational demonstration of what the Military Police Corps has to offer. Photo by SGT Jocelyn Claudio-Hite.

1SG Tony L. Sweat of Alpha Company, 795th Military Police Battalion, 14th Military Police Brigade, talks to Trainees during the static display, specifi-cally the weapons table. Photo by SSG Austin Garell.

SGT Joshua Franklin and SSG Darrious Perry HHD, 795th Military Police Battalion, 14th Military Police Bri-gade carries SSG Eric Crosson to the UH-60 Blackhawk during the Blackhawk medical evacuation request with support from the 1-135th Assault Helicopter Battalion. Photo by SGT Jocelyn Claudio-Hite.

Alpha Company, 795th Military Police Battalion, 14th Military Police Brigade coordinated with Fort Leonard Wood, MO. Explosive Ordinance Disposal to receive a MATV for the static display portion of Operation Ham-mer Drop. Photo by SSG Austin Garell.

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T

BEHIND THE SCENES AT THE MILITARY POLICE MUSEUM

Joint Security Area: “In Front of Them All”The Military Police Regimental Museum re-cently acquired a unique collection from LTC (Ret) Frederick S. Hughes, who served as a Military Police officer at the Joint Security Area (JSA) of the Korean Demilitarized Zone from 1967-1968. Created in 1953 as a neutral space for military negotiations be-tween North Korea and the United Nations Command, the JSA is secured by both a com-munist component of security guards and a UN component of US military policemen. Hughes (a Captain at the time of his assign-ment to the JSA) worked as a JSA Security Officer for the United Nations Command. Artifacts within this collection include unique insignia and uniform components that con-vey the distinctive role of American security officers in the Korean Demilitarized Zone.

1 Photograph of CPT F.S. Hughes from JSA Yearbook.2 Joint Security Area distinctive unit insignia. 3 Customized helmet liner featuring UnitedNations emblem on left side.4 Customized windbreaker Jacket authorized for wear by Joint Security Area personnel and JSA bib featuring UN emblem.

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5 Picture of Hughes at security officer meeting at the JSA. 6 MP Brassard, Joint Security Area, Panmunjom. 7 Pocket Badge. HQ UNC (Headquarters, United Nations Command) featuring United Nations emblem.

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Signed on July 27, 1953, the Korean Armistice Agreement suspended full scale hostilities on the Korean peninsula. As a part of the agreement, a Joint Security Area (JSA) approximately 800 meters wide was estab-lished along the border of North and South Korea, bisected by the Military Demarcation Line. Military Police Soldiers assigned to the JSA then and still today are responsible for securing the area to allow for peaceful negotiations, a task that involves manning checkpoints opposite North Korean secu-rity officers, ensuring that visitors provide proper clearance and identification, and pro-tecting and escorting visitors. As exceptional maturity, diplomacy, and professionalism are required of Soldiers performing the security officer role, security officers are selected on a competitive basis and are personally interviewed by UNC Joint Security Force leadership prior to being assigned to the JSA. As the northern most unit serving in Korea, the JSA adopted the motto “In Front of Them All.”

By Megan Warley McDonald, Museum Specialist, U.S. Army Military Police Regimental Museum

Cover of MP Journal, July 1965. Military Police Soldier pictured is wearing the helmet liner, bib, and brassard — like those donated by LTC (Ret) Hughes.

MPs in the Joint Security Area, Korean

Demilitarized Zone

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It was also a time of consolidation and withdrawal for U. S. Military units, which raised another question, “ Who wanted to be amongst the last soldiers left in Vietnam?” The more our forces left, the more tenuous the situation became for those who remained behind. Couple that with low morale, poor leadership, and a crisis in discipline, and it was a recipe for disaster.

That was particularly true in Military Region II, Binh Dinh Province, where retrograde actions began for the 173rd Airborne Brigade in April 1971. By August the last elements, of the longest serving Army combat brigade in Vietnam, had returned to the United States. By this time Binh Dinh Province had again become Viet Cong terri-tory. By early spring, U. S. Advisors were say-ing that the enemy was operating throughout the province virtually unchecked.

The Qui Nhon ammunition depot suffered three attacks in June 1971. VC mortars practi-cally wiped out the allied munitions dump with successive attacks on June 22, 28 and 29. It was the third time that week and sixth time that year that the ammunition depot had been shelled. Previous attacks occurred on January 7, February 20 and April 26.

The enemy didn’t just target the ammu-nition depot. Despite the best efforts of the 458th Transportation Company’s concussion

grenade runs, with their PBRs (Patrol Boat River), enemy sappers blew a large hole on the starboard side of the S S Robin Hood on March 31, 1971 and severely damaged the S S American Hawk in June. In addition the VC attacked the International Shell Storage Yard, near LST beach in Qui Nhon, in mid February and Quincy Compound, the home of Qui Nhon Support Command, was shelled in April, the same evening the ammunition depot was hit.

As if enemy activity wasn’t enough to contend with, civil unrest plagued the city. Unruly support troops had offended local customs, disrespected Vietnamese civilians and behaved in a lawless and abusive way for quite some time. All hell broke loose on December 7, 1970, when a group of Vietnamese youths climbed aboard an American Army truck carrying boxes of C- rations. A U. S. Soldier fired a warning shot which struck a nearby student. The result was a three day violent civil disturbance.

Once again, in February 1971, another three day riot ensued after an American soldier killed two Vietnamese

children when he mistakenly fired a high explosive round from his M-79 grenade launcher, instead of a parachute flare.

These incidents revealed a strong un-dercurrent of anti-American sentiment that continuously simmered just below the sur-face. Signs saying “Yankee Go Home” and “Kill the American Killers” were paraded through the streets of Qui Nhon, along with the bodies of those who had been killed. Motor pools were fire bombed and GIs we’re beaten as the city was consumed by hatred. Qui Nhon became a powder keg, ready to explode at any moment.

Despite being in the middle of a

93rd MP BN/127th Military Police Company, Qui Nhon, RVN 1970 - 1971BY LTC (RET) BRIAN F. SULLIVAN, USA, MP

The years 1970 and 1971 were tumultuous ones for our Army during the Vietnam War. The American Public was increasingly non-supportive and

that sentiment had a trickle down effect amongst our troops in country. Who wanted to be the last one to die in what many believed to be an unwinable war?

The SS American Hawk listing in Qui Nhon after attacked by VC satchel charge.

40

// MP History

40

drawdown of U.S. forces, the Binh Dinh Province Senior American advisor was calling for more military police to control our poorly supervised, out of control soldiers. What a paradox. As U. S. Troop units were being consolidated and withdrawn, a need was seen for more military police to control the chaos

Dr. Mike Copper gives a good description of the city in his article “Returning to Qui Nhon - 1971 - Federal Electrc Corporation”:

“America was withdrawing from Vietnam. The more U. S. Military personnel that left Qui Nhon, the more dangerous the city became. There were hoodlums just about ev-erywhere. They were called c̀owboys̀ by the Americans. Beside just out and out robbing you, these punks would rip off your watch, camera and anything else you might be car-rying. One of their favorite tricks was to jerk your watch off of your arm and run off or hop on a Honda 50. My boss lost his Rolex this way. As long as you were inside military facilities you were safe but once on the outside you had better watch your surroundings.”

HHD, 93rd MP Battalion and the 127th Military Police Company were stationed in Qui Nhon at that time. It was their military policemen, along with combined police patrols (US, Korean and VN), who would have to step into the breach and quell the chaos. It was up to them to keep a lid on the explosive city and calm the violent streets of Qui Nhon. That task would be made ever so much more difficult because of the crisis of leadership and discipline amongst U. S. sup-port troops in the area.

The 93rd had an interesting mission, which included road clearance and convoy escort along highways QL-1 and QL-19 in Binh Dinh Province and security, with a detachment from the 458th Transportation Company, Patrol Boat River, in Qui Nhon harbor; as well as discipline, law and order responsibilities in the city of Qui Nhon with MPs from the 127th Military Police Company.

The DL&O mission would be com-plicated by the woeful state of morale and discipline throughout U.S. support forces in the Qui Nhon area. The MPs from the 127th had to deal with the full gamut of soldier insubordination from off limits viola-tors, to AWOLS, deserters and the occasional fragging (attempted killing of disliked leaders with a grenade). In addition, racial tensions further eroded troop morale, even after Qui Nhon was put off limits on August 1, 1969.

Earlier, towards the end of July ‘69, a racial disturbance resulted when two white MPs attempted to detain a black soldier who had been drinking on the street. A crowd of 100 to 150 black soldiers threatened the two MPs, preventing them from making the arrest. The crowd surrounded the military policemen with arms raised and fists clenched, shouting black power slogans. Order wasn’t restored until MP patrols responded, along with the 127th Company React Team.The crowd was dispersed and agitators taken into to custody.

Racial tension persisted throughout Qui Nhon’s military compounds in the years which followed with several incidents requir-ing military police intercession. Like the anti-American sentiments held by the civilian populous, racial tension continued to simmer just below the surface, ready to explode with the slightest provocation.

Rampant drug use was prevelent through-out the city and its military compounds. Marijuana, heroin and binoctol were readily available, either sold through compound fencelines or in Qui Nhon’s seedy back al-leys. Add to the mix corruption amongst Vietnamese civilian officials, the black mar-ket, prostitution and drunk and disorderly soldiers, American civilians and merchant seamen and our MPs had their hands full.

Somehow, against this backdrop, the 93rd MP Battalion, 127th MP Company and the waterborne lawmen of the 458th PBR

managed to keep some semblance of discipline, law and order. While the rest of our forces were practicing Vietnamization (the U.S. policy of withdrawing its troops and transfer-ring responsibility for the war to the forces of South Vietnam), our MPs were still riding to the sound of danger, not away from it.

But for the hardworking and courageous military police, and their combined police patrols, the city of Qui Nhon could have dissolved into complete chaos. As it was, our MPs, at times, had to feel like it was “us against the world.” They were a brother-hood unto themselves. While they had to be constantly vigilant about the possibility of enemy attack, the myriad of other challenges they faced on a day to day basis was almost insurmountable.

Low morale, lack of discipline, poor leadership, insubordination, drug use and racial tension were formidable foes. It is no wonder that, under these circumstances, the Binh Dinh Province Senior U.S. Advisor would have considered asking for additional Military Police support during the drawdown of 1970 - 1971. He must have felt that, “We have met the enemy and he is us.”

The 93rd Military Police Battalion was awarded the Republic of Vietnam Cross of Gallantry Unit Citation for deeds of valor/heroic action while in combat with the enemy and the Republic Of Vietnam Civil Actions Unit Citation for it’s service in Vietnam.

PBRs at the dock in Qui Nhon harbor.

4141

AT AP NHI

On 25 August 1968, a convoy of 81 vehi-cles from the 48th Transportation Group was en route from Long Binh to the 1st Brigade, 25th Infantry Division, headquartered at Tay Ninh – located just seven miles from the Cambodian border. This large resupply convoy was comprised of three serials and was escorted by eight MP gun jeeps (as-signed to Company C, 720th Military Police Battalion). At 1145 hours, the lead elements of the convoy drove through the Ben Cui Rubber Plantation and entered the farming village of Ap Nhi. Passing a column of what appeared to be soldiers of the Army of the Republic of Vietnam (ARVN), the convoy was suddenly ambushed as the first serial was about to exit the village. The ARVN soldiers were in fact Viet Cong who had occupied the area on the previous evening. Comprised of three battalions, later identified as the 88th Main Force Viet Cong/North Vietnamese Army Regiment, the enemy initiated a well-conceived ambush that included the use of surprise, coordinated fire power, violence of action, and command and control. The ambush site was 1 to 1½ miles long and it lay well beyond friendly artillery support; heavy overcast skies initially precluded the use of close air support; and the convoy had no armor or mechanized infantry escort/support.

With rocket-propelled grenades, automatic weapons and small-arms fire, the enemy specifically targeted the eight MP gun jeeps – six gun jeeps, six vehicle-mounted radios, and five M-60 machine guns were destroyed. Nevertheless, one MP (possibly Specialist

Fourth Class Guy A. Davison) managed to get to his jeep and put in a call for help about 15 minutes into the fight. Following stan-dard operating procedures, thirty-one trucks at the front of the convoy accelerated out of the kill zone and escaped. Two fuel tankers, now at the head of the convoy, were disabled and set afire. Concurrently, two ammunition prime movers at the tail end of the convoy were disabled. With the convoy stalled and trapped, the MPs and truckers were forced to dismount and establish a hasty defensive perimeter – just as the enemy launched its first attempt to overrun the convoy. At this

stage of the battle, the beleaguered troops were also subjected to mortar and sniper fire. The assault elements closed to within grenade range and some enemy soldiers got as close as fifteen feet. During this attack, Specialist Fourth Class Charles H. Frazier and Specialist Fourth Class Albert Murphy dragged a wounded comrade about 20 meters to safety while under heavy enemy fire. Although wounded by grenade shrapnel, both of these men continued to defend their position until reinforcements arrived the next day. Meanwhile, Specialist Fourth Class Guy A. Davison engaged the enemy with accurate rifle fire until falling mortally wounded.

Specialist Fourth Class William W. Seay, a truck driver assigned to the 62nd Transportation Company, shot down two Viet Cong at close range and then spotted and eliminated an enemy sniper. When a grenade was thrown near his position, he left his protective cover, exposing himself to intense enemy fire, picked up the grenade, and threw it back – killing four more of the enemy and saving the men around him from serious injury or possibly death. Although wounded in the right wrist, Seay retrieved a second grenade and hurled it back at the en-emy. When he detected three enemy soldiers attempting to flank a friendly position, he fired his rifle with his left hand – killing all three and saving the lives of his comrades. Seay then moved up and down the line, pro-viding encouragement and directions to his fellow truck drivers. Suddenly, a sniper’s bul-let struck him in the head; he died instantly.

BY RONNEY Z. MILLER, USAMPS HISTORIAN

Specialist Fourth Class Guy A. Davison

42

// MP History

Seay had only sixty days left in-country. For his conspicuous gal-lantry, Specialist Fourth Class William W. Seay was posthumously awarded our nation’s highest decoration for battlefield valor – the Medal of Honor.

Truck drivers and MPs fought in small pockets of two to four men and the efforts of the dismounted fighting MPs and truck drivers in the initial phases of the ambush are credited with preventing the entire convoy from being overrun and destroyed during the first 30 minutes of the battle. As darkness fell, relief columns attempting to rescue the convoy were stalled at both the north and south ends of the highway. The battle will continue for nearly nine more hours. By 0600 hours the following morning, an armored cavalry troop – rein-forced with helicopter gunships – started their assault on the enemy positions and by 1000 hours, the enemy had been cleared from the kill zone and the trapped truckers and MPs were relieved. Ninety-six enemy bodies were recovered from the scene of the battle. Eleven soldiers from the convoy were killed in action (one MP and ten truck drivers); three soldiers were captured (all of them truck drivers); and eight soldiers assigned to the relief force were killed in action. A total of 51 US soldiers were wounded (to include six MPs).

Specialist Fourth Class Charles H. Frazier and Specialist Fourth Class Albert Murphy were each awarded the Silver Star for gallantry in action and the Purple Heart; Specialist Fourth Class Guy A. Davison was posthumously awarded the Silver Star and Purple Heart. Several other soldiers of Company C, 720th MP Battalion, were awarded the Bronze Star Medal for valor.

The US Army has had a lengthy history with convoy security operations – which dates back to the Revolutionary War; how-ever, tactics, techniques and procedures to ensure convoy security haven’t always kept pace with the advances in technology… and vice versa. During the Vietnam War, the gun truck was pioneered and the US Army developed the concept of the hardened convoy. This lesson had to be re-learned during Operation Restore Hope in Somalia. On 8 August 1993, four MPs were killed when their vehicle hit a mine. As a result, the Program Executive Office for Tactical Wheeled Vehicles was directed to develop and produce the

up-armored HMMWV. Protecting our supply trains is as essential today as it has been in the past – across all the spectrums of warfare: high-intensity, mid-intensity and low-intensity conflict. To prepare for the future battlefield environment, con-voy security doctrine must be routinely reviewed, tested and evaluated… and never neglected.

Specialist Fourth Class William W. Seay

On 18 November 1968, members of Company C, 720th MP Battalion, 89th MP Group, 18th MP Brigade, were decorated for their heroism during the ambush of the Tay Ninh Convoy on 25 August 1968. Colonel Brandenburg (Commanding Officer of the 18th MP Brigade) shakes hands with SP4 Charles H. Frazier who was awarded the Silver Star and Purple Heart Medals, to his right, SP4 Albert Murphy, awarded Silver Star and Purple Heart Medals, SGT Raymond Tate, awarded the Bronze Star for Valor, soldier with camera is SP5 Richard Stopper the C Company Clerk, 1SG Rocky C. Rochon, CPT Donald P. Kirchoffner (Command-ing Officer of Company C) observe the award presentation. SP4 Guy A. Davison who was killed in action during the ambush was awarded the Silver Star and Purple Heart (posthumously). Photo courtesy of SGT Robert J. Lutz, Company C, 720th MP Battalion, January 1968-August 1969.

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Kelsey Johnston is looking toward the future with excitement as she nears the end of her Master of Science in

Psychology degree program at University of Phoenix. She was a recipient in University of Phoenix’s scholarship program for Military Police Regimental Association members and families in 2018. Brian Ishmael, Vice President of UOPX Military & Veteran Affairs and Government Partnerships shared, “Our service members and their families give so much. Giving back in support of their goals for the future is just one way we can say thank you for their service to our nation.”

Johnston earned a Bachelor’s in Criminal Justice at Arizona State University, and com-pleted an internship with Phoenix Police in a cold case homicide unit. She considered pur-suing her Master’s, but between making final payments on a student loan, and a single-income household, those dreams would have to wait… until her stepfather, Max Hamlin, a member of the Grand Canyon Chapter of MPRA, told her about the scholarship oppor-tunity. “If anyone was up to it, I knew Kelsey could do it. She has been raised around law enforcement her entire life, and it enriched her thirst for knowledge in this career field.”

Johnston said that filling out the applica-tion and essay questions “helped her reflect on her values and morals, and what she’d like to do with her degree.” When she received the

congratulations phone call, “It was a shock! What a life changer. I am so grateful! For anyone thinking of applying for a scholarship, just do it. You may be surprised.”

After talking with a UOPX Advisor, Kelsey decided the Master of Science in Psychology with a Concentration in

Industrial Organization aligned well with her pursuits. According to the Program Details, students learn how to:

• Identify and consider aspects of human development, multicultural and social issues in psychology.

• Develop actionable research skills in order to make a difference in organizations and communities.

• Apply complex models of acquired behavior, motivation, memory and personal-ity theories.

She said her favorite courses at University of Phoenix were Developmental Psychology, followed by Psychopathology. They re-vealed how people thought, their tendencies, learn-ing styles, and how their childhoods impacted them. “Everything influences

you.” Johnston said the courses even helped her and her husband Steve examine how they raise their own children: Steven (6), Beau (5), and Paige (3). She added that her husband is incredibly supportive of her degree and makes sure she has time to work on assignments. As her sons are beginning online learning this

year due to COVID-19, they understand, “Mom is really at school, and not just play-ing on the computer. We all have to do our homework.”

She added that the assignments give that much-needed real world experience. “Dr. Brent Duncan, facilitator of Human Performance Assessment and Feedback, had students create training handbooks for future employers. This gave her the confidence to know how to for-mat the book, what training employees can do, and how to identify what motivates them.”

Johnston is on track to complete her program at the end of October 2020, and currently has a 4.0 GPA. She’s also a member of the National Society of Leadership and Success (NSLS) and the Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology (SIOP). She has already been offered a job while weighing some family commitments to determine the best time to jump back into the workforce outside of home.

Hamlin said he couldn’t be prouder of Kelsey. “All I did was tell her about the schol-arship. She did all the hard work applying, and working through the classes, while running a household and raising three children with all their activities. This is a blossoming field, and I know she’ll excel.”

MPRA Scholar Nears Degree Completionby Christine Martinez, OMVA Programs & Partnership Manager

“This has been an amazing experience and I can’t believe I’m almost done.”

44

// MPRA Connection

The Raines family embodies the spirit of volunteerism, providing ex-ceptional service to the Army, soldiers and their families, and dedicating countless hours to the community.

Staff Sergeant Casey Raines of the 91st Military Police Battalion at Fort Drum, New York, his wife, Brittany, and their six children—Kamden, Mason, Brooklyn, Caleb, Caiden and Bentley—founded Warm Up Watertown. As a family, they collect winter accessories and distribute the items around Watertown for those in need.

The Raines family also volunteers with Operation Homefront to support military families. They regularly participate in the Back-to-School Brigade to ensure military kids receive backpacks filled with school supplies and Holiday Meals for Military, where they help provide food during the holiday season.

Staff Sergeant Raines volunteers with the North Country Spouses’ Club, his com-pany Soldier and Family Readiness Group and the Fort Drum Girl Scouts. He also is a wrestling coach with the Indian River Pee Wee Wrestling Club.

Brittany Raines collects and distributes donated toys to children of Fort Drum soldiers every holiday season, is a leader in the Soldier and Family Readiness Group for the 91st MP Battalion, serves as community outreach coordinator for the North Country Spouses’ Club, is active with the Fort Drum Girl Scouts, and volunteers with several other groups in the area.

The Raines children work alongside their parents as well as individually to contribute to the com-munity, including through USO Story Time events, coaching youth soccer, serving in church and volunteer opportunities through their Girl and Boy Scouts troops.

Through their tireless volunteer work and dedication to service, the Raines family has shown its willingness to go above and beyond to help others. It is with sincere gratitude and appreciation that the Association of the United States Army presents our Volunteer Family of the Year Award to this remarkable Army family on this, the thirteenth day of October two thousand twenty.

SSG Raines has been a Standard Member of the MPRA since September 2018. Brittany has been a MPRA Friends & Family Member since May 2019 and is a recipient of the Order of the Vivandieres.

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