Photo By Amabilia Payen | Lt. Col. Bradford Shaw, commander, 2206th Mobilization Support Battalion, briefs...... read more read more
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FORT BLISS, Texas - The 328th Military Police Company, New Jersey Army National Guard, deployed for Guantanamo Bay Naval Base, Cuba, June 3, from the Silas L. Copeland Arrival/Departure Air Control Group airfield.
The last time the 328th MP Company deployed was in 2009 when the unit conducted detainee operations for Operation Iraqi Freedom. Although the tasks are the same, this is the first time the unit has taken on the GTMO mission.
“We are looking for a successful mission,” said Capt. Matthew Neamand, commander, 328th MP Company. “We want to bring great pride and honor back to our home state of New Jersey.”
Neamand mentions that 62 percent of his unit consists of Soldiers who are deploying for the first time, while 40 percent are in law enforcement in their civilian jobs.
Neamand feels his unit is ready, thanks to the training he recieved here, combined with the Citizen Soldiers from their home state.
One Soldier who volunteered for the mission, joined the 328th MP Company from another part of the state of New Jersey, and has calmed his nerves down thanks to the training he received here. Spc. Harshal Patel is now comfortable with his peers, now that he sees them full-time rather than on drill weekends.
“We did a lot of group training so it was a lot of team building,” said Patel. “A lot of the command was with us all the time … we all are getting ready to do this one mission and we are going to do it together.”
Patel’s personal goals is to take advantage of the educational opportunities while at GTMO. He put his final year at Montclair State University on hold in order to deploy. Being the first in his family to join the military, his biggest supporters are his parents.
“It was kind of a culture shock because I come from a family of well-educated people,” said Patel. “Right out of high school I joined the Army. I still made them proud.”
Patel thanks his parents for their support, and Neamand agrees that families are the biggest supporters for the 328th MP Company.
“My wife Jackelyn is the Family Readiness Group leader,” said Neamand. “They supported us with a very nice farewell and they are going to be doing a homecoming once we get back.”
| Date Taken: | 06.03.2015 |
| Date Posted: | 06.15.2015 12:48 |
| Story ID: | 166658 |
| Location: | FORT BLISS, TEXAS, US |
| Hometown: | CHERRY HILL, NEW JERSEY, US |
| Hometown: | FORT BLISS, TEXAS, US |
| Web Views: | 738 |
| Downloads: | 1 |
This work, NJARNG MPs to conduct GTMO mission, by Amabilia Payen, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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