Soldiers of the 716th Military Police Battalion, 101st Sustainment Brigade, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), performed a patch change ceremony Oct. 17, at Fort Campbell, Ky.
The patch change ceremony represent their reintegration into the 16th Military Police Brigade, out of Fort Bragg, N.C. from the 89th Military Police Brigade out of Fort Hood Tx.
Col. Alexander Conyers, commander of the 16th Military Police Brigade, and Command Sgt. Major Thomas S. Sivak, Jr., the senior enlisted advisor of the 16th Military Police Brigade, traveled from Fort Bragg to take part in the ceremony.
The most important part of the ceremony was when the unit's leaders removed the 89th MP Bde. patch from their subordinates and replace it with the 16th MP Bde. patch. It started with Conyers changing patches for Lt. Col. Leevaine Williams Jr., the commander of the 716th MP Bn. Williams in turn, changed the patch for his primary staff and company commanders, who then changed the patch on their subordinate leaders. It continued until the first line leadership had swapped patches on each of their Soldiers.
Conyers addressed the Soldiers letting them know they were living up to the 716th's reputation as the most decorated military police battalion in the U.S. Army.
"What you have here in the 716th is what we're looking for across the brigade," said Conyers. "So as I go back now to Fort Stewart, Fort Drum, Fort Bragg, to those other three battalions, I will tell them that I have laid eyes on the 716th this morning and they've got to elevate their game. They've got to step it up because the 716th they're back and they're ready!"
Conyers went on to say that maintaining standards, following policies and implementing standard operating procedures was what kept the Army strong and cohesive across the ranks.
During the ceremony Williams praised the gathered Soldiers for all of their accomplishments. He then encouraged them to maintain the highest standards their predecessors had set during the units illustrious history.
"You will be the force of choice to use back home," said Williams. "You will be the gatekeepers of standards and discipline. You will strive for perfection and excellence will be our watchword until our next rendezvous with destiny."
In closing, he encouraged them to stay true to what made the battalion great and and take pride in themselves.
"As peacekeepers we will go where we're told and win where we fight," said Williams. "Be proud of who you are, be proud of what you do, (and) be proud of who you represent.
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