Military Police |
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TWS Ribbon Bar |
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Photo In Uniform |
Service Details |
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Current Service Status
USA Veteran
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Current/Last Rank
Warrant Officer 1
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Current/Last Service Branch
Military Police Corps
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Current/Last Primary MOS
311A-CID Special Agent
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Current/Last MOS Group
Military Police
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Primary Unit
1988-1990, 311A, CID Resident Agency, Fort Belvoir, VA
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Previously Held MOS
95B10-Military Police
95D20-CID Special Agent
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Service Years
1977 - 1997
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Official/Unofficial US Army Certificates
Cold War Certificate
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1988, National Society Sons of the American Revolution
- Assoc. Page
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1990, CID Agents
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1991, American Legion, Post 402 (Adjutant ) (Panama City Beach, Florida)
- Chap. Page
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2000, Sons of Confederate Veterans (SCV), Camp 584, MG WILLIAM D. MCCAIN HQ (Member) (Columbia, Tennessee)
- Chap. Page
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2005, Military Officers Association of America (MOAA)
- Assoc. Page
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2009, US Army Warrant Officers Association, Above the Rest Chapter (Life Member) (Fort Rucker, Alabama)
- Chap. Page
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2010, Association of United States Army (AUSA)
- Assoc. Page
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2010, Military Police Regimental Association (MPRA)
- Assoc. Page
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2022, American Legion, Department of Florida (Adjutant ) (Orlando, Florida)
- Chap. Page
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What are you doing now:
I am fully retired after 47 years in Public Safety. I served as a police officer, deputy sheriff, military policeman, CID special agent, probation & parole officer, police academy coordinator, criminal justice selection center manager, and criminal justice instructor. Since 2011, I have served as a volunteer with a local charity that helps the poor. Since 2016, I have served as the president.
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Other Comments:
Commandant's List, PLDC, Ft. Knox, KY 1986
Commandant's List, MP BNCOC, Ft. McClellan, AL 1986
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1977-1978, 95B10, 988th Military Police Company
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1978-1980, 95B10, 139th Military Police Company
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1980-1980, 95B10, HHC, 231st Military Police Battalion
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1980-1985, 95D20, 1156th MP Detachment (CID)
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1985-1987, 95D20, CID Resident Agency, Fort Belvoir, VA
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1988-1990, 311A, CID Resident Agency, Fort Belvoir, VA
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1990-1997, 311A, Individual Ready Reserve (IRR)
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1988, National Society Sons of the American Revolution
- Assoc. Page
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1990, CID Agents
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1991, American Legion, Post 402 (Adjutant ) (Panama City Beach, Florida)
- Chap. Page
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2000, Sons of Confederate Veterans (SCV), Camp 584, MG WILLIAM D. MCCAIN HQ (Member) (Columbia, Tennessee)
- Chap. Page
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2005, Military Officers Association of America (MOAA)
- Assoc. Page
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2009, US Army Warrant Officers Association, Above the Rest Chapter (Life Member) (Fort Rucker, Alabama)
- Chap. Page
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2010, Association of United States Army (AUSA)
- Assoc. Page
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2010, Military Police Regimental Association (MPRA)
- Assoc. Page
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2022, American Legion, Department of Florida (Adjutant ) (Orlando, Florida)
- Chap. Page
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Reflections on WO1 Dwyer's
US Army Service
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PLEASE DESCRIBE WHO OR WHAT INFLUENCED YOUR DECISION TO JOIN THE ARMY.
My father served 22 years in the Army, as an enlisted man before World War II and as an Officer in World War II and Korea. He retired in 1959 as a Major. My brother served as an enlisted man in the Army Reserve and then obtained a commission through ROTC. He retired from the Reserves as a Lieutenant Colonel.
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WHETHER YOU WERE IN THE SERVICE FOR SEVERAL YEARS OR AS A CAREER, PLEASE DESCRIBE THE DIRECTION OR PATH YOU TOOK. WHERE DID YOU GO TO BASIC TRAINING AND WHAT UNITS, BASES OR SQUADRONS WERE YOU ASSIGNED TO? WHAT WAS YOUR REASON FOR LEAVING?
I originally began my public service in civilian law enforcement. Still, as I got a bit older I decided if I were going to serve in the military, I'd better do it before I got too old. I enlisted in the Army in 1976 under the delayed entry program, reporting for active duty in March 1977, a few months before my 27th birthday.
I started basic combat training with A Company, 3rd Battalion, 1st Basic Combat Training Brigade, Fort Jackson, SC, at the top of Tank Hill. Since I had a college degree already, I enlisted under the "Stripes for Education" program and entered the Army as a PFC. Unfortunately, I only lasted a few days and was sent home on 30 days of convalescent leave with stress fractures in both of my tibias. I expected to be recycled into another unit, but it didn't work out that way. I returned to A-3-1 about 2 weeks before graduation and became a company clerk and general gofer for the First Sergeant once he found out I could type. Then, I, along with two other hold-overs, were sent to stay at another unit while the staff of A-3-1 was on a between-cycle break. I then came back to A-3-1 and started over again. Thanks to mentoring by two great drill sergeants, SFC Aviles and SSG Kilgore, I made it through basic and graduated in July 1977.
I then reported to D Company, 10th MP Battalion (OSUT), Fort McClellan, AL, to begin MP School. We were the last fully AIT unit at Fort McClellan; all of the other units had switched to One Station Unit Training where everyone did basic training and advanced training in the same unit. I graduated from MP School in August 1977.
In August 1977, I reported to the 988th MP Company, Fort Benning, GA. Under the terms of my enlistment contract, I was promoted to Specialist 4. I worked road patrol under 2LT Jerry Fiske and SFC Grady B. Overshown, both great supervisors! About 4 months later, I learned that the MP station was having an NCIC computer installed. Since I used to supervise NCIC operations when I was a civilian law enforcement officer, I pulled some strings. I got transferred to the Provost Marshal's Office, where I was put under the MP Admin NCOIC, SFC George Thomas. I ran the MP Records Section and supervised the NCIC operations in the radio room. Because of my job, I was transferred to the 139th MP Company. About a year later, I was promoted to Sergeant (E-5).
I left active duty in February 1980 and went back to work in civilian law enforcement. I joined the Alabama Army National Guard and was in HHD, 231st MP Battalion, Opelika, AL. I was only in that unit for a few months when I discovered the Alabama Army National Guard had a CID detachment in Montgomery. I called the unit commander and begged them to transfer. The transfer was approved, and I joined the 1156th MP Detachment (CID) in August 1980. I became an accredited CID Agent in October 1982. During my time there, I spent time training in various aspects of criminal investigations. I went on two weeks of annual training, once to Fort Polk, LA, once to Camp Shelby, MS, and three times to Fort Rucker, AL.
In 1984, my unit received a memo from CID Command seeking E-5 and E-6 agents to volunteer for a limited 3-year active duty tour. I volunteered and was sent to the Fort Belvoir Field Office, Third Region, USACIDC, Fort Belvoir, VA, on January 11, 1985. I ended up staying there for over 5 years. My first team Chief was CW2 Wayne Haymes, a great mentor and still a friend. I also had another outstanding mentor in CW2, Henry Mungle, who was our polygraph examiner and is still a friend today.
During the summer of 1986, I attended the Primary Leadership Development Course at Fort Knox, KY, and two weeks later, the MP Basic NCO Course at Fort McClellan, AL. At some point in time, I don't recall exactly when the Fort Belvoir Field Office was downgraded to a Resident Agency.
In 1987, I was selected for Warrant Officer Candidate School. On the day I departed Fort Belvoir, I was finally promoted to Staff Sergeant (E-6). I went to Fort Rucker, AL, survived WOC School, and became a WO1 in February 1988. I returned to Fort Belvoir, where initially I was made the team chief of the Drug Suppression Team. I was the administrative supervisor. We had a very capable enlisted agent who handled all the fieldwork; I just reviewed paperwork, kept things in line, and occasionally got dragged along (against my better judgment) on drug raids. I then became the General Crimes Team Chief. I've always had a problem maintaining my weight, and as time went by, I was placed on the Army weight control program. I was flagged, so I couldn't get promoted to CW2 like I was supposed to, and in March 1990, I left active duty as a WO1.
Since I still had a service obligation, I was transferred into the Individual Ready Reserve (IRR) as a WO1. For mainly sentimental reasons, I stayed in the IRR for 7 years, but I never performed any active duty because once I returned to civilian life, I quit running and put on even more weight. I was discharged from the Army Reserve as a WO1 in November 1997. I was probably the most senior WO1 in the entire US Armed Forces since I had almost 10 years in grade!
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IF YOU PARTICIPATED IN ANY MILITARY OPERATIONS, INCLUDING COMBAT, HUMANITARIAN AND PEACEKEEPING OPERATIONS, PLEASE DESCRIBE THOSE WHICH MADE A LASTING IMPACT ON YOU AND, IF LIFE-CHANGING, IN WHAT WAY?
No, I was lucky enough never to see combat. I never left the United States.
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FROM YOUR ENTIRE MILITARY SERVICE, DESCRIBE ANY MEMORIES YOU STILL REFLECT BACK ON TO THIS DAY.
The outstanding, dedicated, and professional people I worked for and with.
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OF ALL THE MEDALS, AWARDS, FORMAL PRESENTATIONS AND QUALIFICATION BADGES YOU RECEIVED, OR OTHER MEMORABILIA, WHICH ONE IS THE MOST MEANINGFUL TO YOU AND WHY?
My CID Agent badge is, without a doubt, my most meaningful. I did manage to earn an Army Achievement Medal and an Army Reserve Component Achievement Medal. At the same time, in the National Guard, along with two Good Conduct Medals while on active duty, but the CID badge put me among the most professional and dedicated criminal investigators in the world!
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WHICH INDIVIDUAL(S) FROM YOUR TIME IN THE MILITARY STAND OUT AS HAVING THE MOST POSITIVE IMPACT ON YOU AND WHY?
There were a lot of people who had a great impact on me. It would be very hard to narrow it down to just one. I'd have to say it would be a split between CW2 Wayne Haymes, my first Team Chief, and CW2 Henry Mungle, both of whom encouraged me and caused me to believe in myself.
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WHAT PROFESSION DID YOU FOLLOW AFTER YOUR MILITARY SERVICE AND WHAT ARE YOU DOING NOW? IF YOU ARE CURRENTLY SERVING, WHAT IS YOUR PRESENT OCCUPATIONAL SPECIALTY?
Initially, I went to work as a Probation and Parole Officer for the state of Florida. I began teaching part-time in the local police academy at night. The academy is part of a community college. In 1996 I left Probation and Parole and went to work full time at the academy. I'm still there where I am the manager of the Gulf Coast Criminal Justice Selection Center. We do pre-employment testing for the law enforcement agencies in our county, along with academy admission testing, fingerprinting for background checks on academy applicants, and assessments on federal and out-of-state officers who want to be exempted from basic training in Florida.
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WHAT MILITARY ASSOCIATIONS ARE YOU A MEMBER OF, IF ANY? WHAT SPECIFIC BENEFITS DO YOU DERIVE FROM YOUR MEMBERSHIPS?
I belong to the CID Agents Association, the Military Police Regimental Association, the American Legion, the Military Officer Association of America, and the Association of the United States Army. I probably get the most out of the CID Agents Association since I keep up with people I've met and what's going on in CID.
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IN WHAT WAYS HAS SERVING IN THE MILITARY INFLUENCED THE WAY YOU HAVE APPROACHED YOUR LIFE AND YOUR CAREER? WHAT DO YOU MISS MOST ABOUT YOUR TIME IN THE SERVICE?
I've learned that there's hardly any crisis or situation that can't be handled. When I first joined CID, I thought their motto, "Do What Has To Be Done," was kind of stupid and not very macho-military. Now, as I've gotten older, I've realized that's one of the greatest rules for life: just do what has to be done!
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BASED ON YOUR OWN EXPERIENCES, WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO THOSE WHO HAVE RECENTLY JOINED THE ARMY?
Keep strong and be safe. God bless you all.
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IN WHAT WAYS HAS TOGETHERWESERVED.COM HELPED YOU REMEMBER YOUR MILITARY SERVICE AND THE FRIENDS YOU SERVED WITH.
| TWS and the US Army |
It's helped me make contact again with some acquaintances from the past, and it's helped me keep my identification as an Army veteran. KC 12.18.23
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