MP CSM visits Fort Carson

Photo By Sgt. Eric Glassey | Command Sgt. Maj. John McNeirney, Military Police Regimental and U.S. Army Military Police School, talks to Special Reaction Team members during combatives training at their fight house, Fort Carson, Colo., Aug. 20, 2014. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Eric Glassey, 4th Infantry Division PAO)  

FORT CARSON, CO, UNITED STATES

08.21.2014

Story by Sgt. Eric Glassey 

4th Infantry Division Public Affairs Office

FORT CARSON, Colo. - Command Sgt. Maj. John McNeirney, Military Police Regimental and U.S. Army Military Police School, visited Fort Carson Soldiers Aug. 19-22.

McNeirney gave three reasons for visiting military police Soldiers at Fort Carson as part of his circuit of post visits.

“I wanted to get out and see how our training and equipping of our military police Solders support our commanders at different installations around the world,” McNeirney said. “Not only to talk to the Soldiers, but to find out their perception of readiness and to talk to the senior leaders at those installations to see if the military police officers are supporting them as necessary. That’s the first reason."

“The second is to get the Soldiers’ feedback from what they need from us,” McNeirney said. “What information, training and knowledge do they need to prepare and be ready at the organization?"

“The third reason is to actually go out and see those Soldiers who are doing great things,” he said.

While visiting the MPs, McNeirney offered advice to the noncommissioned officers and junior Soldiers who will one day be leaders.

“Every time I brief Soldiers, I always have them write these three things — character, professionalism and the way ahead,” McNeirney said. “Impress on them that their character adheres to Army Values, honorable service and their decision to mold to what the Army wants them to be.”

McNeirney stressed the importance of character as an attribute that is difficult, if not impossible, to change.

“Character is really internalized in a Soldier and it is really hard to have someone else develop it in you,” McNeirney said. “Most of the time we are set with whatever values we came into the Army (with). Our job is to give Soldiers the opportunity to develop their character. Tell them, ‘This is what I saw you do that demonstrated loyalty … not only to the Army, but to the nation, unit and fellow Soldiers.’"

“Character is real hard to measure,” he said. “We tend to measure only the absence of it. If you do something wrong, that shows you lack an Army Value, that’s easy to identify, but you probably do a hundred things right that we don’t give you credit.”

The second topic, professionalism, is something more than just words to McNeirney.

“The second part is that they are members of the profession of arms,” he said. “As the Army professional, they need to demonstrate their military expertise, honorable service and be stewards of their profession. They need to internalize it on a daily basis, and they need to establish that trust.”

The way ahead is something all Soldiers need to be aware of as the size of the force reduces to meet budget constraints and still remain prepared for the conflicts ahead.

“Lastly, I tell them to think about the way ahead,” McNeirney said. “The Army is going to get smaller, and we don’t exactly know what that number will be, but we’re going to be looking at their character and commitment to the profession."

“The military police corps is having to increase its standards of performance to develop skills, knowledge and attributes at any given skill level,” McNeirney said. “I tell privates that they are the future. I got five to seven years left in the Army, but they got their whole career in front of them. They are the ones who will implement all these changes.”

Pvt. Thomas Neenan, policeman, 110th MP Company, 759th MP Battalion, and select other Soldiers were afforded the opportunity to have lunch with the command sergeant major on his first day at Fort Carson.

“He asked us what we wanted to talk about, and we brought up different topics,” Neenan said. “One of the topics was the future and the strategies of moving from a combat environment to a garrison environment."

“The command sergeant major brought out the plan of 2020 and explained how across the branch he is trying to make all installations uniform, and that’s not just with gear and uniforms, but their training in law enforcement and combat training.”

One of the changes the Soldiers are looking forward to is the certifications the command sergeant major plans on implementing during Advance Individual Training.

“He talked about getting back into our profession, and putting the ‘P’ back into military police,” said Sgt. 1st Class Gilbert Guzman, platoon sergeant, 110th MP, 759th MP Battalion. “We talked about law enforcement certification for our military policemen and policewomen once they graduate from the schoolhouse. That certification would be nationally recognized.”

McNeirney finished his week with a ceremony celebrating the accomplishments of 759th MP Battalion NCOs, Sgt. Ruth A. Hanks, who won III Corps Best Warrior Competition, and Sgt. Sierra Fown, who was inducted into the Sgt. Audie Murphy Club.

• Date Taken: 08.21.2014
• Date Posted: 09.03.2014 14:18
• Story ID: 141046
• Location: FORT CARSON, CO, US