Mark Edward Brown's Blog

It’s not often that I talk about my work in the military, it’s not that I am not proud of my service to the United States of America and all of you that are patriots as well, it’s because I like, respect and still enjoy what I do even after over 20+ years of doing it.

I love the variety that it offers both in locations to work and people to meet and interact with.  I get paid to be a leader and stay physically and mentally fit.

In my current leadership role I actually have 3 Bosses and I like to work with them all, I am not saying that because I am a kiss ass and they may read this (I doubt they will) and this is more for my friends and family so what I am about to share with you is an article that was just published in the local paper here in Korea where I am stationed.  There is one picture of two of my bosses and me plus a write up of the changing of my unit’s name.  The name of the paper is The Morning Calm and both the article and photo are from the paper which you can see here:
http://www.scribd.com/full/39308092?access_key=key-2f7ls90ke9b0lftebug7                                                      

Confinement facility caretaker unit re-designated
By Steven Hoover         

  USAG Humphreys Public Affairs HUMPHREYS GARRISON, Korea

— The 249th Military Police Detachment, caretakers of the U.S. Army Regional Correctional Facility here, was re-designated as the U.S. Army Correctional Activity-Korea, USACA-K, in an Oct. 1 ceremony in M.P. Hill Gym.

The organization provides theater level pretrial and short-term post trial confinement services, maintains liaison activities for Status of Forces Agreement
prisoners, conducts prisoner transfers to stateside facilities and expands confinement operations to accommodate 114 prisoners during transition to hostilities.

“For the past 50 years, Military Police men and women have been providing correctional excellence on behalf of the U.S. Army,” said Capt. Mark E. Brown, USACA-K commander. “History is being recorded once again by the re-designation of the 249th Military Police Detachment and the Eighth Army Corrections Facility and the activation of the U.S. Army Correctional Activity-Korea and the U.S. Army Regional Correctional Facility-Korea.

“Our mission…remains the same,” he added. “Our standards of excellence will not waiver and I assure you that on behalf of the guard force and leadership, our commitment to the community remains unchanged.”

The 249th was originally constituted on Aug. 23, 1943 as the 249th Military Police Company and activated on Sept. 10, 1943 at Camp O’Reilly on Zandry Field, in Dutch Guiana. It was re-designated on Feb. 28, 1946 and the 249th Military Police Guard Platoon and then inactivated on June 3, 1946 on Gandery Field in Suriname.

The unit was once again re-designated as the 249th Military Police Guardhouse and Stockade Detachment on June 20, 1952 and activated on July 14, 1942 at Camp Chaffee, Ark. On Oct. 4, 1954 the unit was re-designated to the unit formerly known as the 249th Military Police Detachment. The unit was then inactivated on May 1, 1959 at Camp Chaffee and later, on June 24, 1960, activated in Korea.

Earlier this year, the confinement facility was awarded re-accreditation for the third consecutive time by the American Correctional Association. The ACA standards address services, programs and operations essential to effective correctional management.

There you have it, small glimpse at a part of the current chapter in my life.  Please leave a comment and share your thoughts and thank you,

Mark Edward Brown