Why I Serve, Why I Continue to Serve- U.S. Army recognizes leaders during Women’s History Month- Part One

Photo By Gary Loten-Beckford | Lt. Col. Wendy Tokach, 787th Military Police Battalion, Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri...... read more read more

Photo By Gary Loten-Beckford | Lt. Col. Wendy Tokach, 787th Military Police Battalion, Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri leads her battalion on a scheduled foot march. (Courtesy Photo)  see less | View Image Page

JOINT BASE LANGLEY-EUSTIS, VA, UNITED STATES

03.02.2022

Story by Gary Loten-Beckford 

U.S. Army Center for Initial Military Training

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JOINT BASE LANGLEY-EUSTIS, Va. (Mar. 2, 2022) – Women have always sought military service, in fact women’s contribution to service dates back to the Revolutionary War. Throughout the history of the U.S., women have proudly fought for freedom and liberty in our Nation’s wars and in some cases disguised themselves as men. Their liberty to serve did not occur until the creation of the U.S. Army Nurses Corps in 1901.

This is a four-part story that speaks to four individual women in leadership. They tell their unique story as to why they serve and continue to serve.

Lt. Col. Wendy Tokach, battalion commander of the 787th Military Police Battalion, Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri, is one of four leaders to discuss her reasons that brought her to the military and why she continues to serve.

The North Dakota native’s career spans throughout the world, ranging from the Unites States, Europe, Asia and Southwest Asia, and two years with the Canadian Army Military Police Group in Ottawa, Ontario.

“I was looking at ways to pay for school and how to fund that,” Tokach said. “I was always involved in sports and the Girl Scouts, the Army just seemed like the right fit, and I wanted to see the bigger world."

Nearly 27 years ago, Tokach entered the North Dakota National Guard where she enlisted as a photojournalist. Having just completed Basic Combat Training and Advanced Individual Training, her first taste of the military experience came by way of a nine-month deployment to Bosnia-Herzegovina in support of Operation Joint Endeavor.

“It was exciting to see that I was going to actually do my job,” Tokach said. “As a photojournalist, I got to highlight the amazing things each unit was doing at their best days.”

Tokach always knew that she wanted to do more and leadership encouraged it. One of her detachment commanders, then-1st Lt. Jackie Huber, encouraged Tokach to apply for the Reserve Officers’ Training Corps.

By 2002, Tokach received her commission through ROTC from the University of Hawaii. There she graduated as a Distinguished Military Graduate and entered the military police corps. Her first assignment to Fort Hood, Texas came with two combat deployments to Iraq.

Tokach assumed company command twice. On her second command, she deployed with her unit to Taji, Iraq, there they enacted the Taji Internment Facility Reconciliation Center, a detainment center for inmates with an environment where they could learn new skills and educate themselves to help their families and be productive citizens when released.

Deployments and combat operations come with challenges. The measures leaders take for overcoming those challenges defines their character.

“No matter where you’re fighting, you have to always remember, no matter where you are in the world and who you are facing, enemy combatants are still humans,” Tokach said. “We have to keep that in the forefront of our minds.”

Since July 2020, she has commanded the 787th Military Police Battalion. A far different environment from her previous operational and combat deployments. Command in a training environment has many challenges and accomplishments. Grit, determination, and a warrior’s spirit makes for a leader to fight the fight in any environment. Lt. Col. Wendy Tokach is one of the few engaging leaders to spotlight as a woman and a leader as to why she serves and continues to serve our great nation.

“We all join for our own reasons,” Tokach said. “Why I continue to serve is the most amazing people I’ve had to pleasure to work with, through all the hard work and deployments it’s about remaining part of the Army family.”