OUR HOME AWAY FROM HOME!

1. 206TH MILITARY POLICE COMPANYThe SENITINEL UPDATEVOL.II October 4th, 2009 OPERATION IRAQI FREEDOM 09-10

2. OUR HOME AWAY FROM HOME!

3. 1st Platoon- Mad Dogs First platoon of the 206 MP Co is tasked with providing force protection for the PJCC (Provincial Justice Command Center). First Platoon also has the ISF (Iraqi Security Forces) that operate out of the PJCC. The mission is primarily squad leader driven; but the Platoon Leader also acts as liaison with the PJCC Commander, the shift commander, as well other ISF elements. The elements that make up the ISF include liaisons from; the Iraqi Army &Navy, Basrah Electricity Police, Civilian Defense which includes the Iraqi Fire dept and EOD, Boarder Guards, Facilities Protection Services (critical infrastructure protection including hospitals and schools buildings) and the Iraqi Police Service.

4. 1st Platoon -MAD DOGS SSG Joseph Pardi works with his Iraqi Police counter parts, and his interpreter “Nico” to discuss statistics in the city. SSG Pardi is a squad leader from 1st Platoon who works at the Provincial Joint Communications Center.

5. 2ND Platoon Renegades takes Lead with IPs 1LT Calhoun poses with his interpreter Castle, and his new IP district commander. 2nd Plt is charged with partnering with several Iraqi Police districts in the city to conduct training events with Iraqi Police Officers

6. Chariot of Justice! One of 2nd Platoons numerous vehicles after a mission to conduct IP training.

7. 3rd Platoon – Renegades “RAMP UP” 3rd platoon is tasked with providing a quick reaction element to assist other Coalition and Iraqi units in the Area should they need additional assets They’re on call 24 hrs a day! SFC Lugo drills his teams on readiness exercises.

8. 3rd Platoon – Renegades SGT Matthew Clark checks over his squad to ensure their weapons and equipment during an exercise

9. DFAC Dinning at the BAOCBy SGT Barnard, 206th MP Co Mess SGT We were job shadowing for about 10 days, trying to learn what we could. Now it’s all on us. One of the Army’s sayings is, “Adapt and overcome”. SGT Crabtree, who was pulled from her platoon because she served as a cook on active duty, PFC Bouchard, SPC Jones, SGT Rivera, and myself have done a pretty good job of learning what it takes to provide three meals a day for over 250 soldiers. We’ve made plenty mistakes, but overall things are going pretty well. One day we made the ultimate mistake of running out of food. I decided to double the chicken serving because the portions were so small. This led to the food running out before we could replace it. We are still working through the re-supply issues that both, limit the meals we can serve, and overstock us with things like chips and pop tarts. And while we’ve had some great “Kitchen Police,” their learning curve is different because they’re not here every day like the cooks. There are some things I don’t like, such as the amount of food thrown away. While it is better to have too much than not enough, it’s hard. A part of me is still thinking like I’m in my own kitchen at home. Also, we have the problem of serving the same thing for lunch for days on end because that’s all we have. Although the Family Readiness Group is starting to come through with things like scrub pads, our cleaning supplies are pretty thin. Being here in Iraq is not ideal. And our staff experience level could be better. On the other hand, things are not so bad here at the BAOC Dining Facility (DFAC). From the commander to the lowest private, everyone has been very supportive and encouraging. Still, a well fed soldier is a happy soldier. We will continue to learn, and provide the troops with whatever it is that they need, so that they can complete their mission.

10. 206th Gets a new Mess section! September 6 was the last day for the mess section of the 206 Military Police Company to learn their job from the “real cooks,” of the 21st Military Police Company. That night, the 21st started their journey home after a 15 month deployment. I say “real cooks,” because they had three active duty cooks that applied their trade daily, whereas the 206th MP Co., a National Guard unit from New York State, had one qualified cook with no experience, three MPs and one Administrative Clerk taken from the platoon’s.

11. “FOLLOWING SOLDIERS FRONT AND CENTER” SSG Grimes receives his promotion to the rank of Sergeant First Class, and SFC Herringshaw receives his promotion to the rank of Master Sergeant. SFC Grimes and MSG Herringshaw work as Operations Sergeants in the Company Tactical Operations Center.

12. New NCOs! SPC Kring, SPC Flint, and SPC Isgro were laterally promoted to the rank of Corporal. Although this action is not a higher pay grade, it does bring the soldiers into the ranks of the Non-Commissioned Officers Corps as they are now LEADERS and the Army officially recognizes their increased level of responsibility.

13. SOLDIERS RECEIVE 17TH FIELD ARTILLERY BRIGADE COMBAT PATCH 8th MP BDE Also known as “Solider Sleeve Insignia for War Time Service”, the COMBAT PATCH is the shoulder patch worn on the right sleeve of the wearer and designates the headquarters element the Soldier served with in a combat environment. The 206th held a brief ceremony of issuance and had leaders and battle buddies place the patch on the shoulder of a comrade. As an MP Unit, the 206th falls under several levels of headquarters. We are given Missions from the Brigade element in the area we work, but we also receive orders from the Military Police Brigade Headquarters in Baghdad. Ironically, the current brigade, (8th MP BDE) will change over to the 49th MP BDE this month.

14. COMING SOON… - OUT ON PATROL • NEW VEHICLE TRAINING • PROTECTING OUR OWN