FORT RUCKER, Ala. -- A former 6th Military Police Detachment traffic section sergeant returned to Fort Rucker last week to take command of the detachment.
Capt. Brian Wheat recently graduated from the Military Police Officer’s Basic and Captain’s Career Courses after leaving his position as the assistant S-3 for the 759th MP Battalion, Fort Carson, Colo.
Wheat assumed command July 14 from Capt. David LeMay, who commanded the detachment since 2009.
“I’m really looking forward to working with Soldiers again,” Wheat said. “All the tireless hours of writing memos and the training I got while in school has prepared me to take command of the detachment. I plan on making my rounds very soon.”
Lt. Col. Darren Cox, 1st Battalion, 13th Aviation Regiment commander, said he knows Wheat will continue to push the Soldiers of the 6th MP Detachment toward excellence as LeMay did before him.
“This team is a tightly-knit organization,” he said. “It’s always out front and always leading the way. It’s because of strong leadership from its commander and noncommissioned officers. I know (Wheat) will adapt and answer the challenges that await (him).”
LeMay’s next assignment will be at Fort Benning, Ga., with the 507th Parachute Infantry Regiment. He said his time here has been a great experience that was the “highlight” of his military career.
“Watching how these Soldiers respond and lean on each other is one of the greatest sources of pride I think any commander can experience,” he said. “We run a complex (unit) that almost feels more like herding cats than anything else. It requires the setting aside of egos and a lot of compromise to accomplish a vital mission for Fort Rucker. These are the best Soldiers on Fort Rucker. When everyone else is having their worst day, these Soldiers are at their best.”
Cox said LeMay has been an excellent commander for the detachment and will be missed here, not just for his abilities as a leader but as a friend, too.
“At the forefront of all this detachment’s accomplishments, LeMay has been at the front leading the way,” he said. “He never complained of resource shortages or personnel challenges. He also never looked for a pat on the back for a job well done, he simply loves to be a Soldier. He’s a fine officer whose primary focus was the completion of the mission. I could not have asked for a better command team.”