Military Police safeguard neighborhood communities

Photo By Tech. Sgt. Megan Floyd | Photo of a vehicle that has fallen from a road during the statewide floods in Columbia, S.C., Oct. 11, 2015. The South Carolina National Guard has been activated to support state and county emergency management agencies and local first responders as historic flooding impacts counties statewide. There are 2,541 National Guard assets on the ground, which includes engineer support from neighboring North Carolina, and more than 40 State Guard members supporting state flood response efforts. (U.S. Air National Guard photo by Airman Megan Floyd/Released)  

COLUMBIA, SC, UNITED STATES

10.11.2015

Story by Airman 1st Class Ashleigh Pavelek 

169th Fighter Wing

Columbia, S.C. - U.S. Army soldiers assigned to the 132nd Military Police Company of the South Carolina Army National Guard are working in tandem with the Columbia Police Department and fire departments to protect the citizens affected by recent flooding here.

The military police have stationed 12 traffic control points and seven neighborhood entry control points since joint statewide flood response operations began Oct. 8.

“Our soldiers are here to help monitor the ease and flow of traffic so that officers can perform their duties and the engineers can support and maintain the infrastructure here,” said 1st Lt. William Duin, platoon leader for the 132nd MP Company.

The Columbia P.D. has issued police radios to the military police soldiers to ensure quick contact with a deputy in the case of an emergency.

“We are the first line of observation for the first responders,” said Sgt. 1st Class Scott Goda, platoon sergeant for the 132nd MP Company. “Our soldiers are being their eyes and ears.”

Residents of Lake Katherine, one of the affected communities of destructive flooding, are welcoming the soldiers with waves and smiles as they enter their neighborhood.

Duin commented that the support from the civilian communities has been great across the state and the morale of his Soldiers are high and eager to help the local communities.

“I joined the National Guard to better my community,” said Sgt. Patrick Morris, team leader for the military police core. “I was born and raised in Columbia, so it is nice to give back.”

The joint operations are expected to wind down as recovery efforts improve and continue, but the South Carolina National Guard is prepared to sustain operations as long as the state has a need for them.

• Date Taken: 10.11.2015
• Date Posted: 10.12.2015 13:42
• Story ID: 178705
• Location: COLUMBIA, SC, US