Photo By Tulara McCauley | Soldiers of the 346th Military Police Company, 530th Military Police Battalion, 300th...... read more read more
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FORT BLISS, Texas - Maj. Gen. Sanford Holman, commanding general of the 200th Military Police Command, attended the deployment departure for the 346th Military Police Company, 530th Military Police Battalion, 300th Military Police Brigade, at the Arrival/Departure Air Control Group, here March 15.
The 346th MP Company, an Army Reserve from Manhattan, Kan., departed to conduct detainee operations in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. Holman commended the process that prepared his troops for this important deployment.
“We have had thousands of MPs who have come through Fort Bliss and who have gone down range and successfully come back,” said Holman. “We have had a few fallen soldiers but the response from the families was very encouraging, they felt [the fallen soldiers] were trained and ready to go and were well prepared. There is a lot of seriousness around this training which is focused on this particular mission. In the past three years, there has been a vast improvement in the training due to mutual respect and information sharing; DoMaD and First Army support has been great. These troops are going to Guantanamo Bay [Cuba] to secure some very, very dangerous people and that process must be above reproach.”
“Everyone is pulling the rope in the same direction,” Holman stated. “In any human endeavor you are going to have tension, but here at Fort Bliss, [Maj.] General [Sean] MacFarland has been very supportive of the Army Reserve. The [active component] and [reserve component] should operate together for one common goal, which is to protect our country.”
Company Commander Capt. Jacob Wilson, who hails from St. George, Kan., agreed with Holman’s evaluation.
“The mobilization process through Fort Bliss was very smooth, very efficient, professional and supportive,” said Wilson. He acknowledged that the trainers were very knowledgeable about the mission his troops are going to endure for the next year.
“I’m proud to serve with them and be their commander,” said Wilson. “They are very knowledgeable and highly motivated troops and they trained hard while they were here.”
Wilson plans to focus on discipline and behaving ethically. “For us the uber-critical focus would be to do the right thing when no one is looking,” said Wilson.
First Lt. Lindsay Shababy, platoon leader for 1st Platoon, was confident in her platoon’s ability to successfully accomplish the mission. A personal trainer in civilian life, Shababy attended Michigan State University and completed the Reserve Officers’ Training Corps program. Although Shababy currently lives in Fort Sill with her active-duty husband, a field artillery officer, she volunteered for her first deployment by joining the 346th MP Company.
“I’m excited for a great experience and a chance to improve my leadership skills,” said Shababy.
First Sgt. Kerry Hommertzheim looked forward to his fifth deployment. A state agent for the Kansas Bureau of Investigation, Hommertzheim was in no doubt of his soldiers’ vigilance.
“The training was excellent here at Fort Bliss and the troops are motivated,” said Hommertzheim. “They are excited to go.”
Spc. Brady Conner, from El Dorado, Kan., a painter and sand blaster at a refinery, ruminated on his first deployment. Conner plans to “roll with the punches and see what’s coming.”
“We got trained pretty well,” said Conner. “We have a lot of key leadership that has a lot of knowledge and have been [to GITMO] before us.”
Conner appreciated the support from home.
“Thanks for all the prayers and wishes,” said Conner. “I love all you guys and we’ll be back soon.”
Shababy echoed Conner’s sentiment.
“Although it is hard being separated, just know that your soldier is performing their duties for their country,” said Shababy. “It’s a very important mission that we are going to do. We won’t be gone for too long; its temporary – we won’t be gone forever.”
200th MP Command, based in Fort Meade, Md., has centers in 33 states and employs soldiers living in 46 states. The 607th MP Bn. is headquartered in Grand Prairie, Texas, the 11th MP Bde. in Los Alamitos, CA and the 346th MP Company in Hutchinson, Kan.
| Date Taken: | 03.15.2014 |
| Date Posted: | 03.24.2014 19:24 |
| Story ID: | 122473 |
| Location: | HUTCHINSON, KANSAS, US |
| Hometown: | BROKEN ARROW, OKLAHOMA, US |
| Hometown: | GARY, INDIANA, US |
| Hometown: | HELL, MICHIGAN, US |
| Hometown: | KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI, US |
| Hometown: | MANHATTAN, KANSAS, US |
| Hometown: | ROCHESTER, MICHIGAN, US |
| Hometown: | ST. GEORGE, KANSAS, US |
| Web Views: | 1,649 |
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