NASHVILLE, Tenn. – The Tennessee National Guard sent a military police company to South Carolina on Sunday to assist residents of that state in the aftermath of Hurricane Florence. More than 100 personnel of the 117th Military Police Battalion departed Athens, Tennessee, with the necessary equipment and supplies to operate for approximately two weeks.
Once processed through reception, their mission will be to augment the local authorities by conducting door to door health and welfare checks, assisting with the manning of traffic control points designed to avoid impassable roads due to flooding and providing for the overall safety of those most affected by the storm.
"This is one of our busiest battalions in the state because of the capability of the MP Companies," said Tennessee's adjutant general, Maj. Gen. Max Haston. "They did a fantastic job in the Virgin Islands last year when called upon, and I'm confident they will do no less for our friends in South Carolina."
South Carolina requested the assets through the Emergency Management Assistance Compact process whereby states can ask for help in time of crisis, or other natural disasters. The Tennessee Emergency Management Agency is the mitigating agency for such requests and works regularly with other state emergency management agencies to facilitate these cooperative agreements.
The 117th Military Police Battalion is part of the 194th Engineer Brigade, headquartered in Jackson, Tennessee. The 194th Engineer Brigade has approximately 2000 soldiers, and is considered one of the Army's most diverse multi-functional engineer brigades consisting of an engineer battalion, an engineer detachment, and two military police battalions.