333rd Military Police Company

Active| 1997 – Present
Country|  United States of America
Allegiance|  U.S. Army
Branch|  Army National Guard
Type|  Military Police
Role| Law Enforcement
Part of| 33d Military Police Battalion
Garrison/HQ| Freeport, Illinois[1]
Nickname(s)| "The Three"
Commanders
Current
commander| Captain Nicholas Klinke

Military unit

The 333d Military Police Company is a law enforcement unit within the Illinois Army National Guard. The unit is based out of the Freeport Armory in Freeport, Illinois.[1]

## History[edit]

On September 1, 1997, the 444th Chemical Company was converted into the 333d Military Police Company, which assumed overseas training missions in Panama, Germany, Italy, Nicaragua and Belize. The company's duties in Panama, Germany and Italy were primarily assisting the active-duty component in conducting law-and-order base security. In Nicaragua and Belize, the company was tasked with guarding engineers who built roads, schools and drilled wells for drinking water. The company also escorted medical teams to render care to the local populace.[2]

### 9/11[edit]

Following September 11, 2001, the 333d was activated by Governor George Ryan under Title 32 status for increased security at Illinois commercial airports. The mission, requested by President George W. Bush at Chicago O'Hare Airport on September 27,[3] was to provide a trained and armed military security presence to reinforce the civilian security function. Soldiers reported for duty at the armory on September 28.[4]

### Iraq[edit]

In February 2003, the unit was activated in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom and deployed to Iraq in May of the same year. In 2004, its year long tour was extended by the Pentagon for 90 days, after the company had arrived safely in Kuwait. The unit's troops were among 20,000 soldiers whose deployments were extended because of the surge of violence in Iraq.[5] For the remaining two months, the company was stationed at the infamous Abu Ghraib prison, where one soldier, Sgt. Landis Garrison, lost his life as a result of non-hostile causes.[6][7]

### Afghanistan[edit]

From 2008 to 2009, the 333d served as a force protection unit, guarding U.S. troop perimeters and escorting convoys in Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.[8]

## Commanders[edit]

Former and present company commanders:

* Captain Nicholas Klinke, 2016 - Present[2]
* Captain Kyle Scifert, 2014 - 2016
* Captain Jacob Beard, 2012 - 2014[9]
* Christopher Dieball, 2010 - 2012
* Captain Michael Eastridge, 2009 - 2010[8]
* Captain Eric T. Comiza, 2005 - 2009[10][11]
* Captain Ronald Bonesz, 2001 - 2005[5]
* Captain Brian Martin, 2001
* Michael Pauling 1996-1998
* Marc Schwarzkopf

## References[edit]

1. ^ a b "Northwestern Illinois Units". Illinois National Guard. Retrieved August 10, 2015.
2. ^ a b Wilson, Barbara (July 23, 2019). "Freeport-based 333rd Military Police Company Deploys to Cuba". Illinois National Guard. Illinois National Guard. Retrieved April 1, 2020.
3. ^ King, John (September 27, 2001). "Bush outlines plan to boost airport security; Key House Democrat says it doesn't go far enough". CNN. Retrieved October 31, 2015.
4. ^ "Governor Ryan Meets with Illinois National Guard Troops Called to Active Duty for Airport Security" (Press release). Bloomington: State of Illinois. Illinois Government News Network. October 3, 2001. Retrieved October 31, 2015.
5. ^ a b Glauber, Bill (April 25, 2004). "A push to get troops home". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved August 9, 2015.
6. ^ Burghart, Tara (September 12, 2004). "After 9-11, Iraq, soldiers readjust at home". The St. Augustine Record. Retrieved August 28, 2015.
7. ^ Warneke, Jeremy (January 28, 2016). "The Tragic Truth Of Accidental Deaths In Combat Zones". Task & Purpose. Retrieved July 2, 2015.
8. ^ a b Kilchermann, Lori (December 31, 2009). "2009 IN REVIEW: The 333rd welcomed back from Afghanistan". The Journal Standard. Retrieved August 9, 2015.
9. ^ "333rd Military Police Company Change of Command". Facebook. Illinois National Guard. March 4, 2014. Retrieved August 9, 2015.
10. ^ Roemer, Diana (February 22, 2008). "Local MPs headed off to Afghanistan | The 333rd to deploy for Task Force Phoenix VIII". The Journal Standard. Freeport, IL.
11. ^ Comiza, Eric T. (December 11, 2005). "Family Readiness Group donations to be returned". The Journal Standard. Freeport, IL.

## External links[edit]

* 333rd MP Co. Association on Facebook