Brian Hill
FORT LEONARD WOOD, Mo. (May 18, 2022) The U.S. Army Military Police Corps Regiment inducted 13 members into the MP Corps Regimental Hall of Fame during a ceremony May 13 at Lincoln Hall Auditorium and the John. B. Mahaffey Museum Complex.
The inductees included retired Lt. Gen. David Quantock; retired Brig. Gen. Mark Spindler; retired Col. Robert Abernathy; retired Col. Arnold Daxe; retired Col. Thomas Keller; retired Col. Alexander Mascelli; retired Col. Herman Williams; retired Lt. Col. Thomas Blair; retired Command Sgt. Maj. Brenda Curfman; retired Master Sgt. Daniel Andrews; retired Master Sgt. Natalie Kindrick; Sgt. 1st Class Wentz Shanaberger, who was killed in action in 2004, in Iraq; and retired Staff Sgt. Gene Baxley.
According to Brig. Gen. Niave Knell, the 51st commandant of the U.S. Army Military Police School and master of ceremonies for the event, the purpose of the MP Corps Regimental Hall of Fame, which was established in 1992, is to recognize those who have made a significant contribution to the evolution and definition of the MP Corps doctrine, mission or training. Members are nominated by a special selection board of past and senior members of the MP Corps Regiment.
To date, 112 members have been inducted into the MP Corps Regimental Hall of Fame.
In her remarks, Knell noted only a small fraction of MPs become hall of fame inductees — she called them “the who’s who of our dedicated MPs.”
“Today, we recognize a special few, and by ‘a special few,’ I mean, the best of us — the finest the regiment has to offer,” she said. “To the class of 2021, I want to wish you congratulations. There’s no higher honor for our regiment and all here are beyond deserving.”
Quantock was a Soldier of many firsts. He was the first MP officer to serve as chief of staff for the XVIII Airborne Corps and the first MP officer to serve as the MSCoE and Fort Leonard Wood commanding general. He was also the Army’s 65th Inspector General, and became the first MP Corps three-star general officer.
Among his many positions in and outside of the regiment, Spindler prioritized the establishment of the 31K Military Working Dog Handler Military Occupation Specialty while serving as the 47th commandant of USAMPS.
Abernathy was among only a few MP officers to serve in policing, investigations and corrections organization, culminating in his role overseeing the establishment of the Defense Forensic Science Center in Forest Park, Georgia.
As a junior officer at Fort Dix, New Jersey, Daxe designed a program aimed at restoring deserving but confined Soldiers to duty. The program is now known as Return to Duty. He was also awarded two Army Commendation Medals for heroism after he saved the lives of two civilians in Korea, and a fellow service member at Fort Dix.
While serving as the 503rd Military Police Battalion (Airborne) commander at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, Keller led his units in several contingency operations in Panama, Somalia, Cuba and Haiti. He also led his battalion as they conducted the first MK-19 Gunnery Course for the MP Corps.
Specializing in antiterrorism, Mascelli led a task force in the development of the U.S. Military Academy Antiterrorism Program; conducted country-level force protection vulnerability assessments of all countries in the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility; and is credited as the primary architect of the U.S. Army Military District of Washington force protection and access control plan during the aftermath of 9/11.
While serving as a company commander, Williams led his company to be recognized for excellence and received the Brigadier General Jeremiah P. Holland Award. Williams’ military career culminated in his position as Provost Marshal, chief of Military Police for the MDW. He established partnerships with 43 federal, state and local law enforcement agencies, ensuring the successful execution of defense support to civil authorities in the national capital region.
While serving in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, Blair was instrumental in the closure of Camp X-Ray. As a battalion commander, he prepared his subordinate companies and headquarters for deployment to Iraq, to train and advise the Iraqi Police, while leading 1,300 service members. After his military retirement, Blair continued to serve as the Law Enforcement Division chief for the Office of the Provost Marshal General.
Curfman is another Soldier of firsts. She served as the first female first sergeant of the 289th Military Police Company, the first female command sergeant major of the 95th Military Police Battalion and 18th Military Police Brigade. Curfman also served as the first sergeant major senior enlisted advisor to the director of Arlington National Cemetery, Washington, D.C. While with the 95th, she earned an Army Commendation Medal with a “V” device for actions taken when a bomb exploded on the lead truck of a convoy. Curfman is also a Sergeant Audie Murphy Club member.
Throughout his career, Andrews’ expertise led to the apprehension of more than 60 drug offenders, the seizure of more than $1 million worth of drugs, the prosecution of a $300,000 fraud case and multiple murder cases. He was involved in the first extradition of a foreign hacker and a multi-agency investigation of the largest theft and illegal disclosure of classified information in U.S. history.
Kindrick was the first female to win 1st Cavalry Division NCO of the year, and the first female MP inducted into the SAMC. Kindrick was selected to oversee $210 million in construction projects during the move of USAMPS from Fort McClellan, Alabama, to Fort Leonard Wood.
Shanaberger made the ultimate sacrifice, when he was killed in action in 2004, in Iraq. Without regard for his safety, Shanaberger engaged a group of enemy personnel attempting to ambush his convoy. His actions allowed his Soldiers time to seek cover.
Baxley attended U.S. Army Ranger School, and for the first time in the school’s history, won every leadership and performance award available. After his military retirement, he continued to serve the military and veterans through various organizations.
After what Knell called the official portion of the event, the inductees were further honored at the John. B. Mahaffey Museum Complex. Along with the unveiling of their official photos, each inductee was presented a replica of the brick laid in the Military Police Regimental Walkway and Memorial Grove to honor their inclusion.
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About Fort Leonard Wood
Fort Leonard Wood is a thriving and prosperous installation that has evolved from a small basic training post 80 years ago to a premier Army Center of Excellence that trains nearly 80,000 military and civilians each year.
Fort Leonard Wood is home to the U.S Army Maneuver Support Center of Excellence and three U.S. Army schools: the U.S. Army Engineer School; U.S. Army Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear School; and the U.S. Army Military Police School. In addition to training engineer, CBRN and military police specialties for the Army, Fort Leonard Wood also provides gender-integrated in-processing and Basic Combat Training for new Soldiers.
Fort Leonard Wood also hosts and trains with the largest Marine Corps Detachment and Air Force Squadron on any Army installation as well as a large Navy construction detachment.
More information about Fort Leonard Wood is at: https://home.army.mil/wood/index.php/about/mission