402nd Military Police Battalion Soldiers compete for ‘Best Warrior’

Photo By Staff Sgt. Koan Nissen | Spc. Jordan Funk, corrections specialist, 402nd Military Police Battalion, crawls through high grass, Sept. 10, during a unit-level best warrior competition at the Camp Ashland Training Site. Funk ultimately won for the battalion's junior enlisted category. (Nebraska National Guard photo by Staff Sgt. Koan Nissen)  

NE, UNITED STATES

09.10.2016

Story by Staff Sgt. Koan Nissen 

111th Public Affairs Detachment

The training exercise included 10 task-specific lanes designed to challenge the Soldiers’ knowledge on a variety of skills. Whether it was tactically advancing on a target to deliver a fragmentary grenade, or searching vehicle for contraband and other dangerous items, the competition was designed to test the Soldiers while also providing the 402nd M.P. Bn. leaders an opportunity to receive a snapshot on their organization’s current training proficiency.

“It’s good training—it puts you on the level,” said Staff Sgt. Trevor Dredla, a battalion communications team chief. “It also lets you know where you’re at physically.”

Dredla said events like the MP Challenge help flush out errors and establish better communication skills and other team-building fundamentals – essential components when conducting squad-size maneuvers.

“For one, you make mistakes,” he said. “We’ve all learned – going into the next event – that we need to communicate better.”

Training in a relatively dense, humid and hot wooded environment added an element of realism. Camp Ashland’s east-of-the river site provided the participating M.P. battalion Soldiers with a variety of topographies to explore.

“Well, I got dirty and got wet from the water during the exercise,” said Spc. Tara Millard, a unit supply specialist with the battalion. “But, I have learned a lot of new things this year.”

For many Soldiers at the competition, sharpening their military police skills is a nice break from their usual duties during a drill weekend.

“I like getting out of the logistics world and getting into this type of training,” said Pfc. Martin Odonnell, a unit supply specialist.

In one case, this meant Odonnell and several other unit Soldiers were charged with investigating a military vehicle that may or may not have contained contraband or other illegal items, such as drugs or weapons.

“It’s a realistic way to make sure we’re staying vigilant and not overlooking something,” he said.

For some, the testing involved with the best warrior competition was a way to review past training.

“This type of training is a good refresher for the primary training I’ve received,” said Pfc. Desiree Wadsworth, a corrections specialist with the 402nd M.P. Bn. “It’s easy to overlook things; you get in a hurry. The smallest places can hide the biggest things.”

Training on contraband threats, in particular, is a key function for a military police battalion. With missions including internment, corrections and other law enforcement tasks, contraband searches can virtually mean the difference between success and failure.

“This is actually my first time doing something like this,” Spc. Munir Musa, an administrative specialist with the unit. “You really got to pay attention to what you’re doing. Or, it’s like my battle buddy just said: It could result in a life or death situation.”

Earning top honors during the battalion’s competition were Sgt. Branden Ahlers, a culinary specialist, and Spc. Jordan Funk, a corrections specialist, who won their respective competition in the non-commissioned officer and junior enlisted categories, respectively.

• Date Taken: 09.10.2016
• Date Posted: 09.21.2016 11:01
• Story ID: 210177
• Location: NE, US