Reenlistments During the period of January-March, the Battalion reenlisted 54 soldiers resulting in reenlistment bonus totaling $483,925.00.

Dates Unknown, 411th MP Company FOB Volunteer, Members of the 411th MP Company, under the umbrella of the 42nd MP Brigade (Fort Lewis, Washington), used the partnering program to assist in the training of Iraqi Police cadets at the Baghdad Police Academy. The MP's works directly with the Iraqi Police Instructors. The class graduates approximately 3,000 cadets per quarter.

42nd

Some of courses are on, law; human rights - how to treat personnel; use-of-force; self defense; first aid; ethics; weapons training, in the use of the Glock-19 and AK-47; and anti-terrorism.

Date unknown, C Company, (Wolverines) 1st Battalion, 182 Field Artillery A HMMWV of C Company 1/182 FA (720th MP Battalion) was damaged by an Improvised Explosive Devise (IED) and the team gunner, PFC Richardson, was wounded. The driver SPC Eberhart was able to maneuver the damaged vehicle out of the kill zone.

Date unknown, C Company, 1st Battalion, 182 Field Artillery A HMMWV of C Company 1/182 FA (720th MP Battalion) was damaged when it was struck head on by an Iraqi semi-truck while crossing a roadway. 1LT LaPoint, SPC Easlick, and SPC O. Richards were injured and hospitalized.

Date Unknown, 410th MP Company The 410th MP Company (Bravo Spirit) redeployed from duty in Iraq with the 42nd MP Battalion and returned to Fort Hood, Texas.

Battalion Sustainer of the Month PFC Brianca Natividad, HQ Detachment (Vanguard’s), (support soldier, non-MP), during the past four months PFC Natividad processed over 256 awards, all previous Hero of the Week and Sustainer of the Month awards, along with over 179 financial transactions for Battalion soldiers.

3 March COL David D. Phillips, Commander, 89th MP Brigade Fort Hood, Texas, called LTC Robert M. Taradash, Commander, 720th MP Battalion, at his quarters in Camp Rustamiyah, Iraq. With LTC Taradash on the phone, COL Phillips and all in attendance at the 89th MP Brigade Winter Ball at Fort Hood, stood and drank a toast to 720th Soldiers deployed there.

5 March, 860th MP Company (Desert Reapers) The 860th MP Company, Army National Guard, Phoenix, Arizona, via Fort Polk, Louisiana (special training with the 519th MP Battalion), departed Fort Polk. Their flight taking them through Newfoundland and Budapest Hungary before landing in Kuwait. At Camp Buehring (Kuwait) they spent their next 10 days in processing, equipment familiarization and special training before joining the 720th MP Battalion in Iraq.

860th

10 March The seven member advance group of the 860th MP Company departed for Iraq followed by two more flights, one on the 18th and the last group departing on the 20th. The flights to Baghdad International Airport, on C-130 aircraft, took one and a half hours. The company was transported from the airport to Camp Rustamiya (formerly known as Cuervo) by elements of the 630th MP Company (Mavericks) from Germany.

15 March, Tuesday, Casualty SSG Ricky A. Kieffer age 36, of Ovid, Michigan, a member of C Battery, 1st Battalion, 182nd Field Artillery Regiment (Task Force 720th), was mortally wounded by small arms fire while preparing his squad to depart a checkpoint.

Kieffer 1/182nd

Personal accounts of the incident and photographs of SSG Keiffer for his Honor Roll page, please contact the History Project Manager via the Email Link at the top of this page.

16 March, 401st MP Company Awarded Valorous Unit Ribbon The 401st MP Company during the command of CPT Marc C. Blair was awarded the Valorous Unit Award "for extraordinary heroism in military operations against an armed enemy," for the time period 15 April 2003 to 5 November 2003, during Operation Iraqi Freedom-I.

click on ribbon

"Salute To The 720th MP Battalion and 401st MP Company Operation Iraqi Freedom-I" CPT (MAJ) Marc C. Blair, Commanding Officer, 401st MP Company, 720th MP Battalion, 89th MP Brigade, 2002-2003.

18 March A Memorial Service was held for SSG Kieffer.

21 March, 860th MP Company The 860th MP Company started right seat rides [familiarization & orientation training] with the 630th to familiarize the new company to the area and operations.

26 March Members of the Battalion HQ Detachment, S3 Operations shop (Empire), visited the Mother Teresa Orphanage in downtown Baghdad to deliver much needed supplies and bring Easter greetings to the children.

Personal accounts and photographs of the visit o the orphanage, please contact the History Project Manager via the Email Link at the top of this page.

29 March The 860th MP Company under the command of CPT Joshua Munch, took over the duties of the departing 630th MP Company, who returned to their base in Germany.