Pages
Stay In Touch
More
© 2013 KentuckyGuard
Story by Sgt. 1st Class Rebecca Wood, 149th Maneuver Enhancement Brigade Public Affairs
Sgt. 1st Class Jacque Hayes, an instructor from the 198th Military Police Battalion, demonstrates the proper use of oleoresin capsicum spray as part of the law enforcement certification. Hayes conducted OC spray certification and contamination on all of the 1103rd MP DET Soldiers so they can meet the Law Enforcement Council requirements. (U.S. Army National Guard Photo by Sgt. First Class Emily Cooper)
RICHMOND, Ky. – The Kentucky National Guard’s 198th Military Police Battalion conducted annual training in June at three vastly different training areas in an effort to maintain its legacy as a highly skilled and trained fighting force.
According to Maj. Tim Starke, battalion commander of the Louisville, Kentucky-based unit, each of the six companies trained at the platoon level to ensure overall readiness to conduct mobility support, policing and detention operations.
“It’s important for Soldiers to know field-craft and to not only survive, but also successfully conduct their mission while living out of their trucks and rucksacks,” said Starke. “The return to self-sufficiency in the field using organic military assets versus (units) relying on built-up infrastructure and contractor support results in Soldiers who can overcome adversity caused by inclement weather, sleep deprivation and continuous operations.”
Medics under the 617th Military Police Company conducts first aid at a Casualty Collection Point while under attack during a training exercise at Camp Atterbury, Indiana. This type of training conveys the concept of tactically immersed training for the Soldiers (Photo courtesy of 198th Military Police Battalion)
Mission Command
Headquarters and Headquarters Detachment, 198th MP, 223rd MP Company, 617th MP Company and 940th MP Company conducted command support and mobility operations at Camp Atterbury, Indiana.
The exercise simulated theater-opening operations, where platoons and squads focused on: route reconnaissance, route signing, convoy security, operating hasty detainee holding areas and conducting access control and base defense without support from a forward operating base.
This was 1st Lt. Christopher Mostek’s first AT with the 223rd MPs, and as a brand new platoon leader, he said the training “forced me out of my comfort zone.”
“It empowered me as a new platoon leader and helped me to get to know my Soldiers,” he said.
Mostek said the high intensity training and sleep deprivation made the training even more austere and realistic.
“When you are training like that, it pushes you to that point of exhaustion, but you keep going because you are part of a team,” he said. “My Soldiers maintained a positive attitude despite some tremendous adversity.”
Mother Nature didn’t cooperate with the MPs, dumping rain on the exercise for nearly a week.
“This is the first AT we’ve had where, for six-plus days, you only have your truck or a cover to sleep in,” said Spc. Alex Huesman, 2nd Platoon, 940th MP Company. “It rained almost every day so we were constantly facing the elements. I was miserable but it was great training.”
Huesman said the realistic scenarios – including the opposing forces (OPFOR) – added to the overall experience.
“The environment was realistic,” he said, “with legit ECP (entry control points) spots, OPFOR raids breaking through our ECPs in the middle of the night (and) 360-degree security.
“We had really good leadership involved in our training,” he said. “They were out there in the elements with us; and immediately after every mission we did a platoon or company-wide after action review. It made me feel real confident in my unit.”
Soldiers from the 1103rd Military Police Detachment receive a mission brief before they pull security for the annual Fort Knox Morale, Welfare and Recreation Concert on June 13, 2015. This mission, working side by side with active duty MPs, will certify them to work in a Law and Order capacity if activated (Photo courtesy of 1103rd Military Police Detachment)
Law and Order
The Louisville-based 1103rd MP Company’s law and order mission requires law enforcement certifications regularly. The Kentucky Guardsmen partnered with the 34th Military Police Detachment and the Fort Knox Department of Emergency Services to validate certifications.
“When you initially enlist as a MP, this is what you think you will be doing –traffic stops, enforcing the law, things a police officer does but on a base,” said Spc. Dakota Dockery. “So the best thing about this training is actually going out with the active duty Fort Knox MPs. It is a great learning experience.”
An active-shooter scenario provided some of the 1103rd’s leaders, who are also civilian law enforcement officers when not drilling with the Guard, the ability to teach younger Soldiers the best practices for responding to active shooters.
“I personally liked moving through different scenarios in this closed-down school armed with paint rounds,” said Dockery. “It was awesome responding to the different situations and seeing how they played out.”
Detention Operations
The Murray, Kentucky-based 438th MP Company also worked side-by-side with its active duty counterparts at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. More than 100 Soldiers joined the 15th MP Brigade to conduct military corrections operations inside the United States Disciplinary Barracks.
The 438th MP Company’s first platoon leader, 2nd Lt. Hallie Freeman was one of the liaisons between the company and the Fort Leavenworth MP trainers.
“We tried to make it more of a right seat left seat,” said Freeman, “so that our less experienced Soldiers could see what it would be like to work detainee operations, how the guards and inmates interact, understand the struggles and hardships of being a guard and to see proper reaction times of situations that happen in the prison.”
Freeman said the Soldiers rotated through and shadowed the active duty guards while conducting random searches, observing the prison’s activities through the control room, and operating switches and video cameras; they also got experience monitoring the housing units, control points, individual cells and work details such as the barbershop or woodshop. After watching her Soldiers gain confidence in their training, she said there is a tremendous difference in their abilities.
“Before AT and if a deployment came up, I would say we weren’t ready,” said Freeman, “but after me and my guys worked at this facility, I would say now we are 100 percent ready to go.”
Conclusion
Starke said while the battalion doesn’t have the time or funding to train all units on each discipline every year during AT, they do have the ability to cross-train units using their subject-matter experts on each discipline and its associated tasks during drill weekends.
“We plan to leverage our junior NCOs and junior officers to build knowledge and capabilities across the battalion,” said Starke.
Starke also said they definitely plan on doing more ATs like this in the future.
“Soldiers of the Thoroughbred Battalion were fully engaged every minute of the AT period doing what they signed up to do—work within their MOS, whether that be MP, Cook, Mechanic, Admin Clerk or Medic,” said Starke. “Despite some difficult conditions, morale was high and leaders were far more proficient at the end than they were on first day of AT.”
Story by Staff Sgt. Scott Raymond, Kentucky National Guard Public Affairs
Pvt. Demitri Ray and Sgt. Andrew Harmon provide security for the Kentucky Derby Trophy at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Ky., May 2, 2015. The seven Soldiers assigned to the trophy detail were among more than 200 Guardsmen on duty for the weekend events. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Staff Sgt. Scott Raymond)
LOUISVILLE, Ky. — After 79 years, the Kentucky Guard knows a thing or two about assisting the City of Louisville with the security of the Kentucky Derby. Since 1936, the commonwealth’s Citizen-Soldiers and Airmen have been involved with the colossal task of ensuring the safety of more than 250,000 spectators at the Kentucky Oaks and Derby weekend. That tradition continued for the 141st running of the historic races at Churchill Downs, May 1-2.
“We’ve done this so many times it’s like automatic for us,” said Capt. Brandon Davisson, commander of the 617th Military Police Company. “The weekend has gone very smooth and I know Louisville Metro (Police Department) is happy to have us here.”
Pvt. Matthew Sturgill with the 198th Military Police Battalion assists with pedestrian traffic outside Churchill Downs in Louisville, Ky., May 2, 2015. More than 100 Guardsmen were tasked with assisting local law enforcement with traffic flow around the track during the weekend. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Staff Sgt. Scott Raymond)
More than 200 Guardsmen took their usual stance in the streets around the track directing traffic and securing pedestrian gates inside as record numbers of spectators jammed Churchill Downs. Soldiers and Airmen were also on hand for security in the winners circle and a select few were tasked with guarding the Kentucky Derby Trophy.
Click here for more photos.
Of the roughly 200 Citizen-Soldiers, a good number of them were working their first Derby. Davisson said the 198th’s history of working the Derby has provided a wealth of experience that has been passed on from NCOs to younger Soldiers to continue the success of the operations.
Among the new faces at the track was 2nd Lt. Sarah Powell who, even as a freshly appointed MP officer, served as officer-in-charge of security.
“My role is a small one, but there are so many big pieces that go into this operation, there’s the community piece, the interagency cooperation and there’s our own inner workings to ensure leaders and subordinates know what they need to get the job done,” she said. “This allows us to grow together and to develop our own style of working the Derby for future success, but right now, it’s business as usual.”
Staff Sgt. Christopher King assembles the Kentucky Derby Trophy at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Ky., May 2, 2015. In the spotlight all weekend, the trophy detail was tasked with the security of the “priceless” trophy. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Staff Sgt. Scott Raymond)
Pvt. Demitri Ray with the 617th was working his first Derby and was selected for the trophy detail that secured the “priceless” Kentucky Derby Trophy. He has only been with his unit since August of 2014, but his NCOs said Ray is among the best of the new recruits into the company, a reason he was chosen to assist with the prestigious assignment.
“I feel like I have the best duty here,” he said. “It tells me I’m earning the respect of my unit and motivates me to keep working hard and earn leadership assignments and further my career as a MP.”
Ray and the other six Soldiers escorting the trophy were certainly in the spotlight of the weekend, but 198th leadership said each Soldiers on duty represented years of hard work to create such a polished undertaking.
Powell said the ability to be a part of the big picture is a great benefit to the Soldiers and the units in the commonwealth.
“It’s interesting because you get to several levels up of operation which you don’t normally get to see and to understand what it takes to coordinate with multiple agencies and individuals within the community, which is so important in the National Guard,” said Powell.
Staff report
Cell phone video shows three Kentucky National Guard Soldiers as they pull the driver of a burning SUV to safety following a wreck on I-64 in Franklin Co. on Jan. 12. Sgt. Andrew Mehltretter, Spc. Daniel White and Spc. Kevin Karrer are being hailed by law enforcement for their quick actions during the incident. (Image courtesy WLEX TV)
FRANKFORT, Ky. — Three Kentucky National Guard Soldiers are being hailed for taking part the rescue of a motorist along I-64 in Franklin County on Jan. 12.
Sgt. Andrew Mehltretter, Spc. Daniel White and Spc. Kevin Karrer were all on their way home following drill weekend around 5:45 p.m. Sunday when an SUV rolled several times before bursting into flames.
Sgt. Andrew Mehltretter is a combat medic and a veteran of Operation Iraqi Freedom. (Image courtesy WKYT TV)
Raymond Burdett of Ontario, Canada, was the only person in the vehicle. The three Soldiers were joined by several civilians and drug Burdett to safety while the car burned. The driver was unconscious when he was pulled out, but gained consciousness by the time medics arrived. He was flown to UK Hospital where he is now listed in stable condition.
Witnesses said Burdett was in pretty bad shape after the accident and may not have survived at all had it not been for the help of the soldiers and good Samaritans.
Franklin County Sheriff Pat Melton had high praise for the Kentucky Guard Soldiers. (Image courtesy WKYT TV)
Click here to see the cell phone footage of the rescue
Click here to see the WLEX TV story.
Click here to see the WKYT TV story.
Click here to see the WTVQ story.
24-year-old Army vet James Mcarter was one of those who assisted in he rescue. He said the victim was initially unconscious and bruised so badly he couldn’t open his eyes. Mcarter used his knife to cut the seatbelt and helped pull the driver out while another man extinguished the flames. He said the expertise of the uniformed combat medics made for a swift rescue.
“We had one guy counting out numbers while we were lifting, and the other guys telling us what we were going to do. The directions happened in a matter of seconds. It’s something you feel you just have to do in the moment. You’ve got to get it done,” Mcarter said.
Spc. Daniel White is a combat medic with the Kentucky National Guard’s 1163rd Medical Company. (Image courtesy WKYT TV)
Mehltretter and White are combat medics with the 1163rd Medical Company based in Shelbyville and Karrer is a military policeman with the 617th Military Police Company in Richmond. The medics were traveling east on I-64 while Karrer was traveling west when they happened upon the accident.
This is second nature for me to do this kind of thing,” said Karrer, who is also a volunteer fire fighter in his community. “Once we saw the car was on fire our only concern was getting him out alive.”
“What we did, we were trained to do,” said White. “I don’t know any Soldier that wouldn’t have done the same thing.”
Franklin County Sheriff Pat Melton had high praise for the Kentucky Guard Soldiers.
Spc. Kevin Karrer is an MP with the 617th Military Police Company and a volunteer fire fighter in his community. (Photo courtesy Spc. Kevin Karrer)
“Their heroic actions were just phenomenal,” he told the media. “They probably saved this guy’s life. It’s awesome that they not only give to their country, but they give to their community. It was brave of them to stop and help.”
“I’m humbled by their actions,” he said.
“Being Guardsmen, we are part of our communities every day,” said Karrer. “We’ve got jobs and often don’t even live near a military installation. But we’re still Soldiers and can be called up at any time. This was one of those times.”
“That’s the value of the Guardsman,” said Mehltretter, a veteran of Operation Iraqi Freedom. “That’s what we do. You take raise your hand, take that oath, you serve the people of the United States. Especially when it’s in the community.”
dwa
Story and photos by Staff Sgt. David Bruce, Camp Atterbury Public Affairs
Sgt. Kristopher Akers, of Richmond, Ky., with the 617th Military Police Company of the Kentucky Army National Guard’s 149th Maneuver Enhancement Brigade, reviews room checkouts and turnovers with Matt Mefford, of Louisville, Ky., at the Brown Hotel in Louisville, Ky., June 30. The 617th Military Police Company received specialized training coordinated with the Brown Hotel to prepare them for their mission of operating the Joint Visitors Bureau in Baghdad, which sees to the needs of visiting dignitaries. (Photo by Staff Sgt. David Bruce, Camp Atterbury Public Affairs)
Staff Sgt. David Miller, of Louisville, Ky., with the 617th Military Police Company of the Kentucky Army National Guard’s 149th Maneuver Enhancement Brigade, slices tomatoes in the kitchen at the Brown Hotel in Louisville, Ky., June 30. The 617th Military Police Company received specialized training from the Brown Hotel in hotel management to prepare them to operate the Joint Visitors Bureau in Baghdad, which in addition to functioning as a hotel for visiting dignitaries; it also provides physical security for these visitors. (Photo by Staff Sgt. David Bruce, Camp Atterbury Public Affairs)
Click here to see more photos on this story.
CAMP ATTERBURY JOINT MANEUVER CENTER, Ind. — Soldiers receive an impressive range of training to prepare them for deployments and the duties they will undertake while serving overseas. They go through an extensive checklist of tasks and drills that they must demonstrate proficiency in. Convoy operations, counter-insurgency doctrine, cultural understanding and combat operations are just the tip of the iceberg. But as any Soldier knows, there are those duties that must also be performed that go beyond duties normally associated with any of the military occupational skills. Case in point —
The Kentucky Army National Guard’s 617th Military Police Company, part of the 149th Maneuver Enhancement Brigade, has been assigned the duty to operate the Joint Visitor Bureau in Baghdad for the Brigade’s imminent deployment to Iraq. The JVB is a military-run operation very similar to a hotel for visiting dignitaries in Iraq.
The units that run this hotel are responsible for the safety of these VIPs as well as handling the various protocols involved with the highest-level government and military officials. However, there are no field manuals or battle-drills for actually running a hotel. To prepare these Soldiers for the operation and management of the JVB, the 617th Military Police Company recently teamed-up with the prestigious Brown Hotel in downtown Louisville, Ky.
1st Lt. Darren Kinman, of Frankfort, Ky., executive officer for the 617th Military Police Company, said this is an atypical training environment for an atypical mission.
“We were given a specific mission of working the Joint Visitor Bureau,” said Kinman. “We’re an MP company; this isn’t a typical mission for us. We had some slots assigned to the company like front desk operations and maintenance.”
While some Soldiers with the 617th will be responsible for the operations of the Joint Visitor Bureau, two-thirds of the company will be assigned to personnel protection duties, said Kinman.
Spc. Bradley Harmon, of Corbin, Ky., with the 617th Military Police Company of the Kentucky Army National Guard’s 149th Maneuver Enhancement Brigade, repairs a faulty icemaker at the Brown Hotel in Louisville, Ky., June 30. The 617th Military Police Company received specialized training from the Brown Hotel in hotel management to prepare them to operate the Joint Visitors Bureau in Baghdad, which in addition to functioning as a hotel for visiting dignitaries; it also provides physical security for these visitors. (Photo by Staff Sgt. David Bruce, Camp Atterbury Public Affairs)
“Our battalion operations coordinated for us to the Brown to come out and get some actual hotel training,” said Kinman. “We’ve had several training courses, but nothing has been able to replicate what has been going on at the Brown. We’ve gotten in depth with working with banquets, the front desk; dealing with issues of customers coming in with needs that can’t be replicated at a training site. At the same time, we have the experts here that explain to us how to handle the situations we may run across that we’re not used to.”
According to Kinman, this unique training opportunity will allow them to put a hometown touch to their mission.
“This all started (the planning) back in January,” said Kinman. “We wanted a Kentucky hotel with Kentucky Soldiers. The Brown hotel is one those things; it’s a significant landmark in the state of Kentucky. They took the ball and said they would be glad to have us and it developed into a really good training event. All of our guys have done an excellent job picking up the ins and outs of the jobs they will be assigned to.”
Removed from the ranges, wilderness and forward operating bases of Camp Atterbury, the Soldiers of the 617th Military Police Company began their training in hotel operations, sans the Army Combat Uniform. The person at the front desk is indistinguishable for other employees of the Brown. Except for the minute tells that would give him away as a Soldier, a customer would be oblivious to the fact that a Soldier was checking them in to the hotel.
“We didn’t want to interrupt their day-to-day operations, so we figured (Army Combat Uniforms) would be over the top. We coordinated with them on what would be a good uniform for us,” said Kinman. “There are a lot of people coming in and out; the hotel was completely booked the last two nights, so we didn’t want to completely overwhelm them with guys in (Army Combat Uniforms) all over the place.”
According to Spc. Bradley Harmon, of Corbin, Ky., communications chief for the 617th Military Police Company, working in the engineering section of the Brown is not that dissimilar from his traditional duties.
Spc. Brandon Mink, of Harrodsburg, Ky., with the 617th military Police Company of the Kentucky Army National Guard’s 149th Maneuver Enhancement Brigade, checks a guest in at the Brown Hotel in Louisville, Ky., June 30. The 617th Military Police Company received specialized training from the Brown Hotel in hotel management to prepare them to operate the Joint Visitors Bureau in Baghdad, which in addition to functioning as a hotel for visiting dignitaries; it also provides physical security for these visitors. (Photo by Staff Sgt. David Bruce, Camp Atterbury Public Affairs)
“I have to fix radios, computers and networking issues in my regular duties. It’s more specialized gear, but it’s still maintenance,” said Harmon. “I’ve been working with the engineering staff on general hotel maintenance.”
Harmon did not expect that his deployment training would involve fixing problematic icemakers.
“It’s a different kind of training than I‘ve ever done before. I’ve never heard of the Army doing any training with a hotel in general. It’s mission specific and really enjoyable,” he said.
Working behind the scenes at Louisville’s most prestigious hotel has been something of an eye opening experience for Harmon.
“I’ve learned a lot even from a civilian standpoint,” he said. “It’s remarkable how much goes into maintenance to make the Brown run smoothly. They have 16 floors and the amount of detail that goes into the checks on each level to make sure everything is running smoothly.”
The attention to detail and professionalism taught in the Army translated easily into the civilian industry. While it may be a cliché used by some, there is truth in that statement according to Harmon.
“What we do in the military is the same thing that mangers or employees do at their regular jobs,” he said. “They have a checklist that they go through; they have the sections, departments that they work in. They have a certain thing they do every morning or afternoon when they come in.”
The Brown Hotel is very much a customer service operation, said Harmon, and the key is flexibility and the training done here will ensure a successful mission in Iraq.
“You want to make sure all your guests are taken care of, you want to accommodate for their comfort. The Army teaches us that we’re Soldiers first and you have to do a mission no matter what your job is, everybody is versatile, everybody can be trained to do anything,” Harmon said. “It’s the same thing with the training that we’re doing here. I’ve never worked in a hotel before. I’m not part of a maintenance section in a hotel; I don’t take care of light fixtures or sinks at my normal job, but I’ve come here to learn how to do that. They’ve trained me to go forth and be open-minded and take care of that job overseas.”
Mickey Winebernner, of Louisville, Ky., engineering chief at the Brown, said having the Soldiers working with the staff was a good experience for the hotel as well.
“It gives us another set of eyes to see the operations and give input on maybe some new ways to do things when walking through the property,” said Winebrenner. “They have been working at the front desk, culinary and engineering maintenance. The Soldiers are well suited with attention to detail, follow through on tasks and the ability to follow orders.”
The opportunity to help these Kentucky National Guard Soldiers prepare for their deployment has been very positive, said Winebrenner.
“We are happy to be able to connect with these Kentucky Soldiers and help prepare them for their overseas mission,” Winebrenner said.
The partnership with the Brown hotel will help the 617th Military Police Company meet their unique mission.
“We’re proud to have the Brown welcome us in, and we want to meet their standards as well,” said Kinman. “We knew what our specific mission was, we knew we had Soldiers that needed specific training and what a better way to do it than be on the ground working with civilians in the industry that do it full time. Work with the best and you learn from the best. That was the whole mission and goal here.”
-30-
dwa
Kentucky Guardsman Sgt. Sean P. Schweri from the 617th Military Police Company’s Joint Visitors Bureau trains in preparing a 5-star meal for distinguished visitors and VIP’s while at the Culinary Specialty School at Fort Lee, Va., April 10-22.
By Capt. Andi Hahn, 149th Maneuver Enhancement Brigade Public Affairs Officer
Photos courtesy of Joint Culinary Training of Excellence
FORT LEE, Va. — Kentucky Guardsmen from the 617th Military Police Company, 149th Maneuver Enhancement Brigade, attended Culinary Specialty School at Fort Lee, Va., April 10-22.
Kentucky Guardsman Sgt. Lynn A. Clark from the 617th Military Police Company’s Joint Visitors Bureau serves food she prepared for distinguished visitors and VIP’s while at the Culinary Specialty School at Fort Lee, Va., April 10-22.
Culinary Specialists Staff Sgt. David F. Miller, Sgt. Sean P. Schweri, Sgt. Morris Barnes, Sgt. Robert A. Gaines, Sgt. Lynn A. Clark and Spc. Andrew R. Elam from the Joint Visitors Bureau were specifically trained in preparing 5-star meals for distinguished visitors and VIP’s while deployed to the Iraqi theater of operation.
Ray Beu, Director of Training for the Joint Culinary Center of Excellence, set up the special course just for the Kentucky personnel which was tailored specifically for the JVB Hotel mission in Iraq.
“The Kentucky Soldiers not only took advantage to hone their culinary knowledge, skills, and abilities during this time, but also worked great as a team,” Beu said. “We also took advantage of having them assist the Advanced Culinary Course in the preparation and serving of their End of Course meal which was a nine-course meal served tableside for 24 VIPs and general officers.”
The 617th MP Co. will be deploying with the 149th MEB early this summer as part of the largest mobilization in the Kentucky Guard since World War II.
-30-
ACH
Lt. Col. Shontelle C. Adams, commander of the 198th Military Police Battalion, presents Kyle Taylor with an Honorary Kentucky Guardsman award at the Cincinnati Children's Hospital Oct. 9.
By Lt. Col. Shontelle C. Adams, 198th Military Police Battalion, photos by Vanessa Parsons, 617th Military Police Company Family Readiness Group Leader
CINCINNATI, Oh. (October 15, 2010)-Several members of the Kentucky National Guard’s 198th Military Police Battalion, based out of Louisville, Ky., helped a dream come true by making a young boy an Honorary Guardsman Oct. 9 at the Cincinnati Children’s Hospital.
Kyle Taylor, 12, is going through his 3rd bout with leukemia and is the first cousin of Sgt. Matthew Whisman, a former member of the 617th MP Co. Several members of Taylor’s Family were present including his mother, father, aunt, uncle, and Whisman and his wife.
During the visit Taylor was made an Honorary Kentucky Guardsman and presented a Kentucky Colonel plaque on behalf of Gov. Steve Beshear and the Adjutant General of Kentucky Maj. Gen. Edward W. Tonini. Other coins given to him were from Brig. Gen. Mike Richie, Brig. Gen. Lonnie Culver, Chief Warrant Officer Delynn Gibson, State Command Sgt. Maj. Gregory Armstrong, and Chief Command Master Sgt. James Smith just to name few.
Friends, Family members and Soldiers from the 198th Military Police Battalion sit with Kyle Taylor after making him an Honorary Kentucky Guardsman at the Cincinnati Children's Hospital Oct. 9.
In addition to the plaque and coins, the troops presented Taylor with a flag the 198th MP BN flew while deployed to Afghanistan from 2006 to 2007. Members from recruiting provided several National Guard items such as backpacks, t-shirts and miniature NASCARs. The 617th MP Co. Family Readiness Group, lead by Vanessa Parsons, provided a uniform for Taylor which the Guardsmen filled with rank, unit and combat patches to ensure his uniform was complete and ready to wear.
Taylor said he has aspirations of being a Soldier one day and is very into learning and reading about the military.
Not only did the visit from the Soldier’s bring a smile to Taylor’s face, but it brightened the Guardsmen’s day as well, with several saying it was a very humbling experience.
