166th RSG S1 Section Meeting
By: CPL Luije Padron
Fort Buchanan, PR- Retirees, civilians, Family members and Soldiers were pleasantly surprised to see a very familiar figure greeting them at the Fort Buchanan gates during the week of July 15th, 2013: Soldiers from the 215th Military Police Company.
The Soldiers provided their expertise while supporting to the installation’s Police Services Department during the unit’s annual training.
“It is time to perform sustainable training outside the classroom. Let’s work with the finest police officers from Fort Buchanan” said SFC Victor Labrador, 215th MP, US Army Reserve Puerto Rico, Operations Noncommissioned officer.
During the first five days of the mission, the US Army Reserve-Puerto Rico Soldiers conducted operations in two separate shifts, showcasing their professional skills and polishing their military police training in various capacities from installation access security at the gates, patrolling, traffic laws enforcement, and police dispatch operations, to even Criminal Investigations support with the Directorate of Emergency Services.
“It had been a long time since I last remember being greeted at the gate by a Soldier in uniform. It actually made me smile. I love seeing Soldiers performing the duties that they were brought into the Army to do, and the sense of professionalism, military bearing, and friendliness that these particular soldiers demonstrated were outstanding,” said an unidentified motorist at the entrance gate.
During the second week of the annual training the Soldiers were invited to participate in a certification program conducted by the Puerto Rico State Police Transit Department, where 26 Army Reserve- Puerto Rico troops became legally certified by the State Police Department to install, calibrate, and operate various speed measurement devices “radar systems” currently used inside and outside post to detect vehicles moving at a high rate of speed.
“This training is essential and helps to ensure the readiness of our MPs (military police) when conducting Law & Order missions on post, which operates under the Traffic and Vehicle Laws of Puerto Rico (Law 22),” said Lt. Col. Juan Rodriguez, Law & Order Officer in Charge.
The Soldiers of the 215th Military police Company participated in extensive classroom sessions, hands-on practical exercises with the equipment in a controlled environment, and got to put their knowledge to the test out in the field where they not only had to use the radar equipment to efficiently determine vehicles speeds, but also got to practice real traffic stops.
None of this training would have been possible if it had not been for the initiative of Cpl. Angel Sanchez, a member of the unit.
“He had the idea for the training, brought it forward to his leadership and together we were able to make it happen. The Commander of the unit is very supportive of his Soldiers ideas, and allows them to voice their opinions and really takes everything into consideration when designing the training plan,” said Detachment Sergeant Sgt. 1st Class Paul Morgera.
However the 215th Military Police Company’s Annual Training was not all about hard work and sharpening military police skills.
The troops also took some time to give back to the community. On the final day of the annual training, the Soldiers visited our wounded veterans at the San Juan VA Hospital. There the Soldiers from the largest federal US Army command in the Caribbean, shared some quality time with the patients, listened to their stories, played games with them, and even did some arts and crafts together.
“Some of these wounded veterans don’t have families or anybody to come visit them. They have done a great service to their country and to Puerto Rico, the least we can do is spend some time with them” said the unit Commander, Cpt. Francisco Vargas.
This annual training is the first collective training event conducted by many of the 215th Military Police troops who returned from Afghanistan in 2012.
(US Army Photos by SFC Victor Labrador, 215th Military Police Company)
166th RSG S1 Section Meeting
By: CPL Luije Padron
Fort Buchanan, PR- Retirees, civilians, Family members and Soldiers were pleasantly surprised to see a very familiar figure greeting them at the Fort Buchanan gates during the week of July 15th, 2013: Soldiers from the 215th Military Police Company.
The Soldiers provided their expertise while supporting to the installation’s Police Services Department during the unit’s annual training.
“It is time to perform sustainable training outside the classroom. Let’s work with the finest police officers from Fort Buchanan” said SFC Victor Labrador, 215th MP, US Army Reserve Puerto Rico, Operations Noncommissioned officer.
During the first five days of the mission, the US Army Reserve-Puerto Rico Soldiers conducted operations in two separate shifts, showcasing their professional skills and polishing their military police training in various capacities from installation access security at the gates, patrolling, traffic laws enforcement, and police dispatch operations, to even Criminal Investigations support with the Directorate of Emergency Services.
“It had been a long time since I last remember being greeted at the gate by a Soldier in uniform. It actually made me smile. I love seeing Soldiers performing the duties that they were brought into the Army to do, and the sense of professionalism, military bearing, and friendliness that these particular soldiers demonstrated were outstanding,” said an unidentified motorist at the entrance gate.
During the second week of the annual training the Soldiers were invited to participate in a certification program conducted by the Puerto Rico State Police Transit Department, where 26 Army Reserve- Puerto Rico troops became legally certified by the State Police Department to install, calibrate, and operate various speed measurement devices “radar systems” currently used inside and outside post to detect vehicles moving at a high rate of speed.
“This training is essential and helps to ensure the readiness of our MPs (military police) when conducting Law & Order missions on post, which operates under the Traffic and Vehicle Laws of Puerto Rico (Law 22),” said Lt. Col. Juan Rodriguez, Law & Order Officer in Charge.
The Soldiers of the 215th Military police Company participated in extensive classroom sessions, hands-on practical exercises with the equipment in a controlled environment, and got to put their knowledge to the test out in the field where they not only had to use the radar equipment to efficiently determine vehicles speeds, but also got to practice real traffic stops.
None of this training would have been possible if it had not been for the initiative of Cpl. Angel Sanchez, a member of the unit.
“He had the idea for the training, brought it forward to his leadership and together we were able to make it happen. The Commander of the unit is very supportive of his Soldiers ideas, and allows them to voice their opinions and really takes everything into consideration when designing the training plan,” said Detachment Sergeant Sgt. 1st Class Paul Morgera.
However the 215th Military Police Company’s Annual Training was not all about hard work and sharpening military police skills.
The troops also took some time to give back to the community. On the final day of the annual training, the Soldiers visited our wounded veterans at the San Juan VA Hospital. There the Soldiers from the largest federal US Army command in the Caribbean, shared some quality time with the patients, listened to their stories, played games with them, and even did some arts and crafts together.
“Some of these wounded veterans don’t have families or anybody to come visit them. They have done a great service to their country and to Puerto Rico, the least we can do is spend some time with them” said the unit Commander, Cpt. Francisco Vargas.
This annual training is the first collective training event conducted by many of the 215th Military Police troops who returned from Afghanistan in 2012.
(US Army Photos by SFC Victor Labrador, 215th Military Police Company)