'The Man for the Job': New commanding general leads 200th Military Police Command

By Lisa R. RhodesMarch 11, 2011

'The Man for the Job': New commanding general leads 200th Military Police Command
Maj. Gen. Sanford E. Holman (on left) receives the guidon from Lt. Gen. Jack C. Stultz Jr. as he assumes command of the 200th Military Police Command on Saturday at Murphy Field House. Maj. Gen. Adolph McQueen Jr. (center) relinquished leadership aft... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL

FORT GEORGE G. MEADE, Md. - Strong and straightforward is how one Soldier describes Maj. Gen. Sanford E. Holman, the new commander of the 200th Military Police Command.

"He was my general in Africa," said Sgt. 1st Class Everett Francis, who served under Holman at Camp Lemonier, Djibouti in the Horn of Africa four years ago. "He's a very focused leader. He does what he says."

About 275 Soldiers of the 200th MP welcomed Holman during a change of command ceremony Saturday at Murphy Field House.

Holman assumed command from Maj. Gen. Adolph McQueen Jr., who has served as the 200th's first commanding general since the Reserve unit was activated in 2008. McQueen is scheduled to deploy to Iraq to serve as the new deputy commander of Detainee Operations/Provost Marshall for Operation New Dawn.

"This has been a great ride," McQueen said in his brief remarks. "I love what I'm doing. God has blessed me with the opportunity to serve."

The 200th MP Command, headquartered at Fort Meade, is comprised of more than 15,000 Soldiers and has command and control of the majority of U.S. Army Reserve military police units. These units are engaged in missions around the world, including Afghanistan, Iraq, the Horn of Africa and Korea.

Lt. Gen. Jack C. Stultz Jr., chief of the Army Reserve and commanding general of the U.S. Army Reserve Command, called Holman "the man for the job" and a great leader.

"We've called upon him to serve his nation, and he has always answered the call," said Stultz in his remarks during the ceremony.

Holman graduated from the United States Military Academy at West Point, N.Y., and was commissioned in the infantry in June 1978. After completing the Mechanized Infantry Officer Basic Course, he was assigned to Fort Benning, Ga., where he served as platoon leader and operations officer in the 1st Battalion 58th Infantry, 197 Infantry Brigade. He later served in Operations Desert Shield/Storm.

In 1992, Holman left active duty to pursue a civilian career. He also began his Army Reserve career with assignments in the 80th Division Institutional Training, headquartered in Richmond, Va. He served as the military police brigade commander; commander 4th Battalion, 318th Regiment; the Combat Service Support Brigade executive officer; the military police brigade operations officer; and inspector general.

Holman returned to active duty in March 2007 and deployed to Camp Lemonier as deputy commander of Combined Joint Task Force-Horn of Africa of the U.S. Africa Command in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.

His most recent assignment was vice commander of the Joint Warfighting Center and deputy joint-force trainer at the U.S. Joint Forces Command in Suffolk, Va.

The change of command ceremony began with an invocation by the Rev. P. David Saunders from the Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Saginaw, Mich. Flowers were then presented to McQueen's wife, Rosalind, and Holman's wife, Roxie. The benediction was given by Chaplain (Col.) Donald Holdridge, of the 200th MP Command. Music was provided by the Federal Brass Instrumentalists of the U.S. Army Field Band.

Distinguished guests included: Command Sgt. Maj. Michael D. Schultz, U.S. Army Reserve Command; Maj. Gen. William D. R. Waff, commanding general, 99th Regional Support Command: Brig. Gen. Robert W. Kenyon, 11th Military Police Brigade, Los Alamitos, Calif.; Brig. Gen. Therese O'Brien, 300th Military Police Brigade, Inkster, Mich.; and Brig. Gen. John E. Cornelius, 800th Military Police Brigade, Uniondale, N.Y.

In his remarks, Stultz called McQueen "the epitome of leadership" and praised McQueen's work in standing up the unit three years ago.

"He's done a magnificent job," Stultz said.

Stultz highlighted McQueen's success in developing senior and operational level law enforcement partnerships with major civilian agencies in Washington, D.C., Nashville, Tenn., and the Los Angeles Police Department. Formal partnership-signing ceremonies with the Chicago and New York police departments are planned for later this year.

McQueen's innovation in drafting a program that will mutally benefit veterans and Reservists seeking employment with civilian law enforcement agencies was cited as one of his crowning achievements. The pilot program, dubbed V-LEAP for Veterans-Law Enforcement Advancement Partnership, is slated to be unveiled in Chicago this summer.

In reflecting upon the unit's early years, McQueen said his goal was to set a standard for his Soldiers.

"We started off as champions with character," he said. "We needed something to encourage our young Soldiers."

McQueen then jokingly referred to the young unit as "an ugly baby."

"This baby's got legs and its ready to walk," McQueen said to his successor.

Holman thanked McQueen for "a job well-done" and said that he and his new command will "continue to build on the efforts of those who have preceded us."

In closing, Holman pledged his dedication to the unit.

"I look forward to serving with you," he said.