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thedrifter
03-20-04, 06:36 AM
Standing guard at the gate
Submitted by: HQBn Henderson Hall
Story Identification Number: 2004319141945
Story by Cpl. Clinton Firstbrook



HENDERSON HALL, Va.(March 19, 2004) -- As the sun sets over the D.C. skyline, one Marine remains alert guarding the gates of Henderson Hall. His badge glistens in the moonlight while his eyes dart toward any movement near his post. He is a patrolman with the military police.

When much of the Corps heads for home, the Marines in the 58-hundred field are still on the job during the snowstorms of winter and the 100-degree days of summer.

"Long hours are just one of the hardships that go hand in hand with our job," said Henderson Hall patrolman Cpl. Jean Warner. " I think we have a good relationship with the people who come on to base, but when we put on our badge the only friends we have are the Marines we work with on shift."

Throughout the Corps' history, the men and women if the military police have always had one mission, to protect and serve.

"The Military Policeman continues the long tradition of being the physical security, interior guard, law enforcement, and rapid response force," said Henderson Hall Provost Marshal Capt. Linwood Jongema. "This tradition remains as important to the garrison commander as it was to the first colonial fighting ships captain back in 1775."
Their motto has remained the same, but technology has improved their arsenal of accomplishing their mission over the years.

"I went to Parris Island for boot camp in March of 1982, graduated in May, and returned there for my first duty station," said Master Sgt. John Rolaf, Henderson Hall Provost Sergeant. "At the time, the MP school was moving from Fort McClellan, Alabama to Lakeland Air Force Base in Texas. When I first started as an MP, we carried the .45 caliber pistol and now we carry the Berretta 9mm. As for impact type weapons, we have evolved from the straight stick/baton to the PR-24 and some MP's now carry the expandable baton. There has even been some discussions within the field to the eventual use of stun guns."

Although not all of these changes have been for the better.

"September 11th changed the way we now do business," said Rolaf. "We no longer just wave in traffic and hand out temporary base passes. As a young MP standing on the gate, I never even considered worrying about the potential for a car bomb or a terrorist attempting to gain access to the base. I think that now, every gate stander has that thought in the back of his mind."

In today's day and age, the line that identifies the front from the "rear with the gear" has become clouded and is no longer is a discernable front, which is why an MPs job is more important than ever.

"Who would have thought that the 'front' would be the Twin Towers in NYC or the Pentagon, less than a half mile down the road," said Rolaf. "Anywhere Marines are posted or stationed seems to be the new 'front'. If that weren't the case, we would still be in Force Protection Alpha, standing post at the gates and waving traffic aboard. We would not be worrying about searching all commercial vehicles, conducting random vehicle inspections, and issuing out Chemical-Biological kits to our Marines. The list goes on and on."

"We put a burden upon these young men and women quite unlike any MOS as we ask them to make staff NCO decisions as a relatively junior Marine," said Jongema. "They miss holidays and '96's' that others are able to take advantage of. They work an average of 14 hours day and in all types of weather, but they always do their best. We all as Marines have a role in supporting the good order and discipline of the command. Remember that he will be there, standing in the rain long after you, the driver, exit the gate. So give him a break and help him do his job by acting at all times like Marines."

http://www.usmc.mil/marinelink/image1.nsf/Lookup/2004319142315/$file/pmo2low.jpg

Lance Cpl. John Roche, a patrolman with Henderson Hall's military police, stands guard at one of the base's gates as the sun rises over the D.C. skyline. Photo by: Cpl. Clinton Firstbrook

http://www.usmc.mil/marinelink/mcn2000.nsf/main5/7C8CEF73ADAF8CC985256E5C006A2DF9?opendocument

Ellie