Photo By Adam Holguin | Soldiers assigned to the 330th Military Police Company and the 29th Military Police...... read more read more
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The 330th Military Police Company, a California Army National Guard company based out of Ontario, California, and the 29th Military Police Company Forward, Maryland Army National Guard from Westminster, Maryland, departed the Silas L. Copeland Arrival/Departure Airfield Control Group for a nine-month mission in support of Operation Enduring Freedom at Guantanamo Naval Base, Cuba, Aug. 8.
The 330th MP Co. will provide military police operations, while the 29th MP Co. will provide quick response forces for external security.
“This mission is really important … everyone has put in so much effort in defeating all these terrorists and this is the last step, bringing them to justice,” said Capt. Christopher Price, commander, 330th MP Co.
Completing the mission to standard and bringing home everyone safely is the top priority for both companies, but the leadership also supports their Soldiers in advancing their careers and education during this deployment.
“Soldier care and welfare is of paramount importance to us,” said 1st Sgt. Lorenzo Dominguez, first sergeant, 330th MP Co. “We want to make sure that everyone is taking advantage of the educational programs available to them. Whether it’s Warrior Leaders Course, structured self-development courses, enrolling in college or a university online, we encourage that career enhancement.”
“My goal for these guys is just to develop them as professionals as efficiently as we possibly can,” said 1st Lt. Scott Conner, detachment commander, 29th Military Police Company Forward. “I want them to look at this period as a time where they can develop professionally and hopefully bring back a lot of skills to the company.”
The California and Maryland companies completed training at McGregor Range, New Mexico, with 5th Armor Brigade and the Directorate of Plans, Training, Mobilization and Security in advance of this mission
“The training here was really great, really professional … We did a lot of scenario based training that built cohesion in our company, the collective exercises were really good, effective,” Price said. “I think we were a great company when we got here, but now I think we are an even better company as we leave.”
The training was key in getting some of the young Soldiers up to speed and comfortable with what will be expected of them for the next nine months.
“We have several Soldiers who have never deployed before, so for them this is an amazing opportunity to do what they joined the Army to do,” Dominguez said. “There is a lot of camaraderie, excitement that’s been developed through the training and the misery spent in the Texas heat. It’s been challenging, it’s been tough and we are ready.”
With morale high in both companies, most Soldiers were excited to start the mission, many spent their last moments stateside talking with friends and family at home. The command teams were grateful for the continued support the Soldiers have received from the Golden and Old Line states.
“To the families, first of all thank you. Your sons and daughters are going forward to do an incredibly important mission that I know they are going to succeed very well at,” Conner said. “They will do an absolutely fantastic job, I can tell you that already. And we are honored to have every last one of them.”
“We all trust each other, we all have loyalty to each other, and we are very close … We are all just ready to go,” Conner said.
| Date Taken: | 08.18.2016 |
| Date Posted: | 08.19.2016 11:41 |
| Story ID: | 207688 |
| Location: | FORT BLISS, TX, US |
| Hometown: | ONTARIO, CA, US |
| Hometown: | WESTMINSTER, MD, US |
| Web Views: | 523 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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