FORT HOOD, Texas - A Fort Hood military police company was selected as this year's best in the U.S Army Forces Command, Nov. 15, for the excellence displayed during the last 12 months.
The 64th Military Police Company, 720th Military Police Battalion, 89th Military Police Brigade "Guardians" was recognized by Gen. David Rodriguez, the FORSCOM commanding general, to receive the Eagle Award and will go forward representing FORSCOM in the Armywide competition for the prestigious Brig. Gen. Jeremiah Holland Award.
"The Eagle award is a compilation of (what) a unit has done for the past year," Capt. Andrew Douglass, commander of the 64th MP Co., said.
While nominees are judged in 12 categories for the Eagle Award, including training, weapons qualifications, community involvement and education, there were two things that made the Guardians stand out from other MP companies, Col. Patrick Williams, commander, 89th MP Bde., and director of of Fort Hood's Directorate of Emergency Services, said.
"There are two things that distinguish this company from other military police companies," Williams said. "First is their deployment to Afghanistan, and second is their support for the DCRF (Defense Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear Response Force) mission."
While deployed, not only did the company become a valuable asset to the brigades they were attached, but they also proved how important military police are downrange, their commander said.
"What we did down range while spread over six FOBs (forward operating bases) and three provinces is really our greatest accomplishment," Douglass said. "We were attached to infantry units that had operations in the area and our Soldiers became an element within these units. They (infantry brigades) used our company to help improve their unit and showed that MPs serve a huge purpose in Afghanistan."
But the Guardians continued to shine even after their deployment.
"Not a lot of units are asked to do what our company has been asked to do," Douglass said. "But we take these (missions) as an opportunity … opportunities that others don't get."
Opportunities like the DCRF.
"Before the unit came out of reset, the company had to train 125 Soldiers to support the DCRF mission," Williams said. "It's standard for units to deploy, redeploy, reset and then assume another mission. The 64th, however, deployed, redeployed, reset and then assumed another mission within 150 days from returning to Fort Hood. Not every MP company would be able to accomplish this task as proficiently as the 64th has."
Douglass explained how the unit came back from block leave and assumed multiple missions at the same time.
"We come back from block leave, and we assumed the law
enforcement (mission) while simultaneously preparing for another mission," Douglass said. "Very few units and organizations have been asked to do so many missions in such a short time."
By having to compete against 74 other companies in FORSCOM, and coming out number one, gives the Guardians even more motivation to continue for excellence.
"Anytime someone tells you you're the best, you're going to feel pride in your accomplishments, especially if you were there for the whole thing (entire year) … the training, the deployment and the reset," Williams said. "This award motivates them to win other things and strive for greater achievements because of that pride in the organization."
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