By Spc. Tegan Kucera
Camp Atterbury Public Affairs
CAMP ATTERBURY, Ind. – After almost one year of serving and protecting, the 583rd Military Police Detachment is returning home to Youngstown, Ohio, to reunite with their friends and families.
Soldiers from the 583rd spent their deployment in Iraq keeping watch over the 60,000 to 70,000 Soldiers on Camp Victory.
"At first I was a little upset with the fact that we weren't going to be going outside the wire," said Spc. Jeremy McCauley, an MP with the 583rd. "[But then] I realized that it is absolutely necessary to go over and do our job."
McCauley said his unit performed the duties of civilian police officers in addition to enforcing the alcohol restriction.
McCauley said the deployment helped him to grow and mature as a person, as it did with many of the other young Soldiers in the unit. His commander, Capt. Erik Luca, agreed.
"It was rewarding seeing the young Soldiers who hadn't done this before grow and become more assertive and comfortable in their duties," said Luca, commander of the 583rd. Luca added that the non-commissioned officers in the unit stepped up to help the younger Soldiers in their duties.
But from the youngest Soldier to the oldest, Luca said everyone in the unit is just happy to be coming home to spend time with their loved ones. He said he is happy to have accomplished his biggest goal for the deployment.
"I got everyone back home safely; so that's what I'm most proud of," said Luca.