Dedication key to MP company’s success Published Nov. 4, 2009 By Dedication key to MP company's success Army Support Activity Public Affairs JOINT BASE MCGUIRE-DIX-LAKEHURST, N.J. -- Soldiers of the 354th Military Police Company from St. Louis, Mo., were training hard Oct. 26, at Army Support Activity, Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst in preparation for a mission training Iraqi police. Dedicated to being the best at what they do, the military policemen and women were put through the paces of multiple scenarios they might encounter while training Iraqi police in theater. According to 1st Lt. Danny Thornhill, 1st Platoon leader, 354th MP Co., the training at ASA, JBMDL has been extremely beneficial for the Soldiers in the company as it has helped them to sharpen and fine tune their skills before shipping overseas. The Soldiers rely a lot upon their civilian experience to help them perform the task of training the Iraqi police. Many of them are civilian police officers and corrections officers when they are not engaged in military duty. Thornhill calls upon 15 years of experience as a state trooper in Missouri as he prepares for the upcoming mission. The dedication to the company and its Soldiers is evident when talking to those assigned to the 354th. "I am assigned to the 391st MP Co. from Columbus, Ohio, but when I heard this company was deploying, I volunteered for a cross level to the 354th. In 2003, I deployed on a Police Transition Team mission, and from 2007 to 2008 I deployed on a detainee-ops mission to Camp Bucca, Iraq. The Soldiers assigned to this unit are great and I look forward to deploying with them," said Sgt. Eric O'Reilly. Staff Sgt. Justin Winingear, Staff Sgt. Michael Kisker and Sgt. Wade Dickneite have served together since the company was known as the 415th Military Police Detachment. When the detachment moved to Iowa and the 354th stood up in St. Louis, the Soldiers chose to stay in place together. Winingear said, "We like the folks we are going with. We trust the leadership in the company. We have a lot of fun together in this unit. Everyone here is a volunteer." The dedication of the men and women of the 354th runs deep. One particular story stands out in the company. Spc. Kelsey Snyder, a 20 year-old from Jerseyville, Ill., has been assigned to the unit for three years. While not serving in uniform, she is a junior at Western Illinois University and was a cadet in the Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC). Snyder heard that her unit was deploying to war and felt that her place was with the Soldiers with whom she had trained. She asked her platoon leader and platoon sergeant to see what they could do to get her back with the company. "These are my guys. I'm not going to let them go to war without me. I couldn't forgive myself if something happened to one of them. When I made my choice I was told I would not be given another opportunity through the ROTC to become an officer. It is a sacrifice I was willing to make for my Soldiers. I'd like to see how this deployment goes before I decide whether to pursue a career in the officers' corps. I do love the noncommissioned officer corps, also, so I will be happy either way it ends up," Snyder said. The sense of duty to others is a theme that seems to permeate the company. Spc. Jeremy Meyer from Union, Mo., said he volunteered for the deployment because there are so many other Soldiers who have deployed two, three, and more times. "I figured I'd go so someone else could stay home with his or her family." A young Soldier straight out of boot camp, Pfc. Nick Moss joined the Army Reserve because he believes it was the right thing to do. "I joined because our country needs us. I'm doing this for my family and friends whom I love very much." A serving veteran of more than 20 years of service, 1st Lt. Daniel Rachell said that his son, who is a specialist in the Army, just returned from a tour in Iraq. "He was eight months old when I first deployed in 1990. He is why I serve." The dedication to each other drives the Soldiers of the 354th MP Co. and could well be the key to a successful mission in Iraq.