1138th Military Police Company gets new commander

By Ann Keyes
ngmo.pao@us.army.mil

WEST PLAINS, Mo. - Two years following his own assumption of command, Capt. Christopher Powers has handed the reins of the Missouri National Guard's 1138th Military Police Company to 1st Lt. Monte Davault in a change of command ceremony at the Guard armory in West Plains.

"Lt. Davault is a great leader, and I have absolutely no reservations in passing the guidon to him," said Powers, who indeed passed the unit's colors to Lt. Col. Sharon Martin, before the 175th Military Police Battalion Commander passed the flag on to Power's replacement. "Lt. Davault embodies the Army values and will take the unit far," added the outgoing commander.

Davault, who joined the unit in 2004, first served as a platoon leader and detachment commander. Over the last seven years, the unit has responded to several state emergency duty missions; Soldiers have back-filled other deploying units; and the company recently finished its own tour as part of Operation Iraqi Freedom.

"In every instance, the 1138th noncommissioned officers and Soldiers have shown just how professional they are and have always set the standard," said Davault. "I have been proud to be a part of this unit, and now I am being honored with the responsibility of commanding this extraordinary unit. A commander couldn't wish for a better group of Soldiers to lead."

The assumption of command by Davault comes nearly six months to the day the unit returned to West Plains from Iraq. Deployed to Camp Cropper, Soldiers were tasked with performing various strategic missions including conducting detention center operations, maintaining evidence and providing security oversight for an internment facility and its detainees.

Powers, a native of Howell County, said he is extremely proud of his service with the unit - both at home and while deployed.

"I grew up in the 1138th and I bleed that thick Ozarks blood," said Powers, who joined the company in 1999 as a private, served in Operation Noble Eagle as a specialist, and returned to the unit as commander in 2009.

"In retrospect, I have only one regret - my command flew by," Powers said. "While the deployment was long and difficult, I wouldn't trade the grit of the tour for a duty doing anything else. Though I'll be leaving my assignment in the Ozarks, I'll be forever connected to the troops with whom I served."

Powers will now take the position of liaison officer between the Missouri Army National Guard and Missouri Air Guard as Joint Force Land Component Commander/Liaison Ground Commander.

Davault, whose civilian job leads him from his home in Springfield to Kansas City and back, will now travel to West Plains for monthly drill. It's a trip he'll happily make, he said.

"I look forward to finally having all our Soldiers back together after the various deployments over the past four years," Davault said. "The knowledge the noncommissioned officers and Soldiers have attained through their various missions will increase the proficiency and level of training of the unit, and I can't wait to get started preparing the unit for upcoming missions."

For more information about the Missouri National Guard, please call 1-888-GoGuard or visit www.moguard.com