PINEVILLE, La. – The Louisiana National Guard’s 2228th Military Police Company, 773rd Military Police Battalion, 139th Regional Support Group, bid farewell to family, friends and fellow service members during a Feb. 11 departure ceremony at the post theater on Camp Beauregard.
About 150 Soldiers with the 2228th will conduct mobilization training at Fort Bliss, Texas, before deploying to Europe in support of Operation Atlantic Resolve, led by U.S. Army Europe and Africa. While overseas, the unit will provide base operational security for several forward operating posts throughout Eastern Europe.
Col. Travis Douget, commander of the 139th Regional Support Group, presided over the ceremony and was joined by Command Sgt. Maj. Sud Robertson, Louisiana National Guard senior enlisted leader–Army.
“To the brave men and women of the 2228th, I commend you for your unwavering commitment to the call of duty,” Douget said. “As you prepare to deploy, know that you carry with you the legacy of those who answered our nation’s call before you.”
Douget also recognized the families of deploying Soldiers for their continued support.
“To the families, your role in this deployment is just as critical as that of these Soldiers,” he said. “You are the steadfast support system that makes their service possible.”
Capt. Coleman Hearne, commander of the 2228th Military Police Company, reflected on the unit’s demanding operational tempo over the past year, which included Mardi Gras security support and a federal mission to Washington, D.C.
“With multiple activations, mission sets and compressed timelines, you never broke,” Hearne said. “As you prepare to deploy, understand that the mission ahead will bring challenges, but you are trained, disciplined and bonded by hardship.”
The ceremony concluded with 1st Sgt. Sonia Armstrong, the company’s senior enlisted leader, leading deploying Soldiers in the recitation of the Soldier’s Creed, followed by the Army Song. The unit is scheduled to depart Fort Bliss for Eastern Europe later this spring.