Photo By Staff Sgt. Joe Roudabush | U.S. Army Soldiers assigned to the North Carolina Army National Guard’s 109th...... read more read more
Subscribe
KINSTON, N.C. - The distance between the mountains of Asheville, North Carolina, in 1888 and the NATO frontiers of Eastern Europe in 2026 is measured in more than just miles. It is measured in nearly 14 decades of military evolution.
Nearly 138 years after its formation as a local infantry unit, the North Carolina National Guard’s 109th Military Police Battalion, now headquartered in Kinston, North Carolina, continues its legacy of service. On Feb. 2, approximately 60 U.S. Army Soldiers stood in formation at the Kinston armory for a mobilization ceremony ahead of their deployment in support of Operation Atlantic Resolve.
The mobilization ceremony marked more than the beginning of a deployment; it marked a unit’s continued tradition of constantly adapting to the nation's needs. The 109th has evolved from the Spanish-American War to the trenches of World War I, and finally to its conversion to military police in 1968.
"You embody the lineage and honor of those first Citizen Soldiers who mustered here in North Carolina in 1663," said U.S. Army Brig. Gen. Wes Morrison, North Carolina Assistant Adjutant General - Maneuver. "You carry with you the honorable history of military police from the North Carolina National Guard who've mobilized for Desert Storm, Iraq, Afghanistan, Guantanamo Bay, and Europe since 1991."
Now, the "War Devils," as the battalion is known, are set to coordinate military law enforcement operations in support of NATO allies and partners. For the 109th’s commander, U.S. Army Lt. Col. Michael Phelan, the Soldiers standing in the armory represented the level of dedication required to transition from citizen-soldier to active-duty asset.
"This is the most cohesive, best prepared, and highest performing unit that I've ever been a part of," Phelan said, noting the months of extra drills and training days the unit undertook. "Every one of you is critical to our overall mission success."
The ceremony was steeped in the traditions that bind the Guard’s past to its present. In a custom dating back to Desert Shield, U.S. Army Maj. Gen. Todd Hunt, the Adjutant General of North Carolina, presented a North Carolina state flag to Phelan. That flag will fly over the unit's headquarters in Europe, a visual reminder of the home front they leave behind.
For the families seated at the Kinston armory, the sentiment was less about 1888 and more about the year ahead. Phelan and Morrison both took time to acknowledge that while the Soldiers wear the uniform, the families bear the weight of the empty chair at the dinner table.
"Your love and support are the unseen force that ensures our mission will be successful and the light that will lead us home when our mission is complete," Phelan told the families.
Morrison echoed that sentiment, assuring the families that the Guard would support them in return. "Your strength and love keep us grounded, and for that we are immensely grateful," Morrison said. "We will be here for you while your loved ones are deployed."
As the Soldiers of the 109th Military Police Battalion prepared to leave the Kinston armory behind, Phelan gave the formation a final charge linking the challenges awaiting them in Europe with the resilience embedded in their unit's history.
"Together, we will rise above every obstacle, overcome every challenge, and successfully complete our mission," Phelan said. "Up from the ashes."
| Date Taken: | 02.03.2026 |
| Date Posted: | 02.06.2026 13:54 |
| Story ID: | 557458 |
| Location: | KINSTON, NORTH CAROLINA, US |
| Hometown: | KINSTON, NORTH CAROLINA, US |
| Web Views: | 21 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, From Asheville infantry to NATO sentinels: 109th MPs write new chapter in century-old legacy, by SSG Joe Roudabush, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
No keywords found.
