Story and photos by Kerstin Mitchell
GUIDON staff

Teams were focused, geared up, and ready for battle during the 13th Military Police Warfighter Challenge, last week.
   

“This has been the most teams we’ve seen in years,” said regimental Command Sgt. Maj. Charles Kirkland.

The four-day competition consisted of 34 teams engaging in 13 events and covering 60 miles by foot.

It was a close competition between team 11, Cpl. Thomas Lemonds, Spc. Leonard Salazar, and Pfc. Sam Meroney, all from the 759th Military Police Battalion, Fort Carson, Colo. and team 3, Staff Sgt. John Atkins, Spc. Arron Ebersole, and Pfc. Kevin Wallace, all from the 92nd Military Police Battalion, Fort Leonard Wood, but in the end Fort Carson earned the title of 2009 Warfighter champions.

Following close behind in third place was team 21, Cpl. Gordon Simonis, Pfc. Matthew Wetzel, and Pfc. John Salinas, all from 289th Military Police Company, Fort Myer, Va.

“The Warfighter Soldiers are highly motivated individuals—the best of the very best,” said Brig. Gen. David Phillips, U.S. Army Military Police School commandant.

 

In addition to bragging rights, each member of the first place team received prizes totaling $5,000. Second and third place teams won a slew of prizes as well.

The three winning teams will stay at Fort Leonard Wood and participate in regimental week, said Sgt. 1st Class Shon Dodson, Warfighter noncommissioned officer-in-charge.

At the final event of anniversary week, the winning teams will attend and be introduced at the MP regimental ball, Sept. 26, said Capt. Simon Allgoewer, regimental ball operations officer.