720th
2009 Battalion Time Line
~ 720th Military Police Battalion Reunion Association History Project ~
This Page Last Updated   20 December 2011
89th Bde.
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At the start of the year the Battalion was headquartered subordinate to the 89th MP Brigade, III Corps at Fort Hood, TX.
January
22 January-Fort Hood, TX A defense with a tenacity matching their team’s name allowed the 157th Quartermaster Company, 15th Special Troops Battalion, 15th Sustainment Brigade, 13th Sustainment Command (Expeditionary) Bulldogs, to maul the 410th MP Company Vipers, 73-50, at the Abrams Physical Fitness Center.

     Early in the first period, the teams seemed evenly matched, staying within six points of each other through the first 13 minutes of play. At that point, Chris Lett hit a three-pointer from the top of the arc, pulling the Vipers to the bottom side of a 25-23 score.

     Curtis Dickens topped Viper scorers with 15 (including three three-pointers), Occie Sykes tallied 12, and Chris Lett, Timothy Johnson and Marquis Bloodworth each contributed seven points.

     After the lopsided second half had expired, the Vipers’ David Williams said the difference was, “Fundamentals; we broke down and didn’t stick to our game plan.” Edited from an article by Mike Heckman, Fort Hood Sentinel

January - exact date unknown - Fort Hood, TX In preparation for their upcoming deployment, the 410th MP Company "Vipers" have been training on their Armored Security Vehicle (ASV) throughout the month in the motor pool and on the range at For Hood. The Vipers focused on the basics, Preventive Maintenance Checks and Services (PMCS), weapons slighting and installation, operations in different conditions of weather.
29 January - Fort Hood, TX Continuing their pre-deployment training, the 410th MP Company participated in a training demonstration at the Phantom Run Improvised Explosive Device (IED) Lanes. The demonstration, attended by more than thirty Texas legislators and their staff members touring Fort Hood, displayed the police transitions team’s escalation of force, counter attack and station defense skills.

    The urban terrain training site is a mock up of a little Iraqi village, Iraqi actors and a fully-stocked town market are used in conjunction with pyrotechnics for the simulated explosions. The 410th MP Company was the first group to run on the brand new training site, named "Basrah Baghdad." It is designed to prepare new soldiers with the realism of the MP missions in the Global War on Terrorism.

March
2 March - Balad Iraq SGT Jeffrey Alexander Reed age 23, a member of the 411th MP Company, died in Balad, of wounds suffered when his vehicle was struck by a grenade in Taji, Iraq. SGT Reed had been assigned to the 411th Military Police Company since January 2007.  He deployed to Iraq in January 2008 in support Operation Iraqi Freedom.  He was 15 days away from completing his second 15-month tour in Iraq.
SGT Reed
19 March-Lampasas, TX Forging a link in its community partnership program, Fort Hood officials met with Lampasas city leaders and the Lampasas Chamber of Commerce Foundation to discuss their cooperation on upcoming city events, and their long relationship with the community. Also mentioned was the Adopt-A-School program. It pairs the 720th MP Battalion, and the 15th Military Intelligence Battalion with Lampasas High School; the 21st Cavalry Division with Lampasas Alternative High School; the STB 3-1 Infantry Division with Kline Whitis; and the 201st Support Battalion, 3-1 Infantry Division, with Hanna Springs Elementary School. Fort Hood has sent Soldiers to help teach, coach, mentor and inspire students. Edited from an article by Mike Heckman, Fort Hood Sentinel
June

June - exact date unknown - Fort Hood, TX The 410th MP Company departed Fort Hood, Texas on its first deployment to Afghanistan and Operation ENDURING FREEDOM. Their primary mission will be to train members of the Afghan National Police (AFP).

August

21 August - The Department of The Army, Human Resources Command, issued Permanent Orders No. 233-24 authorizing the award of the Meritorious Unit Commendation to HQ and HQ Company, 89th Military Police Brigade, (14 September 2006 to 29 October 2007), and its subordinate units to include the 410th MP Company (14 September 2006-10 August 2007).

October
Click on Book Icon to view the October, 410th MP Company, Bravo Spirit (PDF) Newsletter from Afghanistan.
November

November - exact date unknown - Indiana The 411th MP Company was deployed to Indiana for a joint exercise training event in chemical crisis management response force (CCMRF) mission. They underwent extensive training on chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear, and high yield explosive (CBRNE) tasks prior to their departure.
      While in Indiana they established a base of operations at the Jennings County fairgrounds and conducted missions varying from convoy and VIP escorts to setting up traffic control points. The company worked with several other specialized units from different branches of service, including a Marine Corps search and rescue team and an Air Force radiological unit.

The Massacre At Fort Hood

5 November - Fort Hood, TX MAJ Nidal Malik Hassan, a 39 year old Army psychiatrist, went on a shooting rampage at the Soldier Readiness Center on post. Armed with two handguns he killed thirteen (12 soldiers and one civilian employee), and wounded 30 others. He was shot while trading gunfire with Department of the Army Civilian Police officers who responded to the call. MAJ Hassan was paralyzed from the chest down from the gunshot wounds he received, the DOD officer's wounds were not life threatening. MAJ Hassan was charged with 13 counts of premeditated murder and 32 counts of attempted murder under the Uniform Code of Military Justice.
    Battalion patrols from the 64th and 401st MP Companies who were on duty responded to help secure the area, and the ready platoon was called out and placed on standby.

MAJ Hassan

     A controversy remains as to if the shooting was the result of work-place-rage or was a premeditated act of terrorism by MAJ Hassan, a Muslim, who was later found to have a direct relationship and recently corresponded with the radical Muslim and anti-American cleric, Anwar-al-Awlaki a dual U.S. and Yeminei citizen, currently hiding in Yemen. There were witness reports that MAJ Hassan shouted "Allah Akbar" (Arabic for "God Is Great") as he was shooting the victims.
    Battalion elements also conducted security and traffic control points at various base gates and locations for several days as the investigation continued.

10 November - Fort Hood, TX Battalion elements assisted with security for the visit of President Barack H. Obama and the First Lady as they attended the Memorial Service for the 5 November shooting victims and visited those soldiers undergoing medical treatment at the base hospital.

17 November - Fort Hood, TX The Battalion formalized the relationship between themselves and Lampassas High School under the Adopt-A-School Program. The program promotes public awareness of the Army mission and fosters military and community relations. Participating Soldiers of The Gauntlet were trained in the mission of tutoring to be pared with students to nurture their intellectual, social, and physical growth. Under the current program the students math skills are being improved, and plans are in the making for the students in the forensic science classes to visit the base CID unit.

Click on Book Icon to view the November, 410th MP Company, Bravo Spirit (PDF) Newsletter from Afghanistan.
Photographs ~ Operation Iraqi Freedom
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Photographs ~ Operation Enduring Freedom
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Photographs ~ Fort Hood
M00169 ?
Unidentified 410th MP Company Viper basketball team member.
M00170 ?
Unidentified 410th MP Company Viper basketball team member.
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