FORT LEAVENWORTH, Kan. (April 28, 2011) -A,A For the first time in the 40-year history of the award, a headquarters and headquarters company has been named the most outstanding military police unit, company size or smaller, in the Army. This is also the first time an internment and resettlement company has been chosen for this achievement.
The Wolfpack of Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 705th Military Police Internment and Resettlement Battalion, received the Brigadier General Jeremiah P. Holland Award in a ceremony April 25 at the Lewis and Clark Center. The award was presented by Brig. Gen. Colleen L. McGuire, provost marshal general of the Army and commanding general of the U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Command.
"Soldiers of the Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 705th Military Police Internment and Resettlement Battalion, do all they are asked to and then some," McGuire said as she presented the award. "They exemplify everything that is right about the Military Police Corps and our Army. They are richly deserving of the honor."
The Holland Award is bestowed annually to the best military police company in the Army. The award is based on collective and individual unit accomplishments in weapons qualifications, Army Physical Fitness Test averages and individual Soldier performance. Nine units competed for the award, the top three of which included an internment and resettlement company, combat support company and law and order detachment. Each unit must go through a very thorough review in front of its command and battalion command before it can be nominated for the Holland Award. The 705th previously received the Brigadier General Thomas F. Barr Award, which allowed the unit to represent Army Corrections Command in the Holland Award competition.
McGuire said the Soldiers of HHC, 705th, set the standard for all military police companies and detachments.
"You did a great job," McGuire said. "I am very proud of you."
During the company's deployment to Iraq, HHC, 705th provided command and control for detention operations of both Camp Taji's Theater Internment Facility and Reconciliation Center and Camp Cropper's Theater Internment Facility.
HHC certified 100 percent of its Soldiers to work in the special housing unit, which requires specialized training. The company also developed and implemented an Iraqi correctional officer training program. With this program, the unit trained more than 2,000 Iraqi correctional officers which allowed them to transfer two correctional facilities to the Iraqi government. This is the first time in history that detention facilities have been transferred to a different country, according to McGuire.
During the deployment, more than 30 Soldiers from HHC were recognized and presented with coins of excellence from the U.S. Forces-Iraq provost marshal general. HHC, 705th, was also awarded the Meritorious Unit Commendation by the U.S. Forces-Iraq Commander Gen. Raymond Odierno for its performance during support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.
The HHC's color guard detail received commendations for performance of its duties during five relief in place/transfer of authority transition ceremonies, during which one coalition unit takes the place of another in an area of operations. HHC, 705th, as a whole was able to transition 80 percent of the guard forces without reduction in detention operations or incident.
The company average APFT score was 263 with 14 Soldiers earning a score of 300 or above. Fifty Soldiers earned the Army Physical Fitness Badge.
Other accomplishments of HHC's Soldiers during fiscal year 2010 and while deployed from 2009-2010 include a 168 percent re-enlistment rate and a 300 percent reduction in violence within the correctional facilities. The Soldiers of HHC also achieved a 100 percent qualification rate on all assigned weapon systems; 29 percent qualified expert with the M9 pistol, and 17 percent qualified expert with the M16 rifle. Several Soldiers volunteered and mentored children of the Iraqi Security Forces in Boy and Girl Scout programs during their free time.
The intelligence section of HHC received commendations for the apprehension of six U.S. Forces-Iraq targets during the target's visits at the Taji Theater Internment Facility. These led to the discovery of 12 vehicle-borne improvised explosive devices, saving Iraqi and American lives.
In the packet submitted for the Holland Award, the Soldiers of HHC, 705th, are described as "highly motivated, disciplined, confident and committed to excellence in performing their duties as corrections specialists in the facility and prepared to take on the challenge of performing their duties in Iraq. This unit has proven it is worthy."
Both McGuire and Capt. Rachel R. Bowers, the current commander of HHC, 705th, concluded their remarks by saying the unit's accomplishments would not have been possible without the support of the Soldiers' families, the family readiness group and the installation.
The honor is named for Brig. Gen. Jeremiah P. Holland, a former U.S. Army Europe provost marshal, who retired in 1969 and began the award in 1970. Holland sponsored the award to promote espirit de corps and professionalism in the Military Police Corps.
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