ECSO Explorer Sgt. Trevor Snodgress accepted into National Leadership Academy

Photo courtesy Ellis County Sheriff's Office.

Ellis County Sheriff's Office Explorer Sgt. Trevor Snodgress has been accepted into the U.S. Army Military Police National Leadership Academy.

ELLIS COUNTY — Ellis County Sheriff's Office Explorer Sgt. Trevor Snodgress has been accepted into the U.S. Army Military Police National Leadership Academy. The one-week academy will be held in July at Fort Leonard Wood, Mo. Snodgress, 20, is the son of Marc and Cheryl Snodgress of Waxahachie. He has been an Explorer the past five years.

"Explorers has taught me unity, it has taught me how to be a leader, it has taught me how to work as a team and that I need to rely on my team mates, it has also taught me where I need to step up in some of my roles in my post and in my life," Snodgress says of the program.

He applied for the U.S. Army Military Police academy because he wants to serve in the military.

"I'm not sure which branch I am wanting to go into, but I know I'm wanting to go in," he said. "Another reason why I chose this is because my grandfather was a military police officer and it will kind of show me what he did. I am also hoping this academy will teach me better leadership skills and how I can improve in my physical fitness."

At the academy, the Explorers' training will include team work development, patrol incidents, military police confinement operations, unarmed self-defense, physical endurance course, special reaction team and room clearing, weapon familiarization with several different weapons systems, confidence course, non-lethal demonstration and familiarization, weapons assembly/disassembly, engagement skills trainer, and shotgun/M9 range training.

"I am super excited and ready to go," Snodgress said. "I hope to learn a lot, including how to work with people I have never met or worked with before, along with new leadership skills and how I can bring it back with me to my post and teach the younger Explorers."

Snodgress plans to apply the leadership skills he learns to his everyday activities with family and friends as well as his activities with the Explorers.

"I will bring back what I learn and share with the rest of my Explorer post what I learned and how we can use it in our post to make it better and stronger as a family," he said.

As a Sheriff's Office Explorer, Snodgress has taken part in numerous competitions, earning several honors for which he and his fellow Explorers have been recognized at the state Capitol and by the Ellis County Commissioners Court. April 30, he took part in a flag presentation for a Scouting event that drew Gov. Greg Abbott's attendance. At the end of last year, Snodgress also became a youth leader for his youth group.

"Explorers has taught me a lot of skills and personal traits that I would not have learned if I didn't join the Explorer post," he said. "What I would say to all the young people out there is, if there is an Explorer post near you, join it. It will keep you out of trouble; it will show you the side of law enforcement that you either don't see or that the news media doesn't show. It may open your eyes to a career that you didn't know was available."

Snodgress' future plans include joining the military, becoming an officer and going to college. After serving in the military, he wants to work in law enforcement or for a federal agency.

Only 90 Explorers from around the nation were selected for this summer's academies sponsored by Learning for Life. In all, four Explorers from the Ellis County Sheriff's Office Exploring Post were accepted. Besides Snodgress, Explorer Capt. Colten Prater, Explorer Lt. Gage Adams and Explorer Sgt. Shelby Snodgress were all accepted to this summer's academies.