Return to First Friday Briefing

MPs Return Home in Time for Christmas

Spc. Joseph Armistead of Monroe's 178th Military Police Company takes a moment to hug his daughters, 2-month-old Ashley (left) and 8-year-old Santana, after the unit returned to its armory, Friday, Dec. 13, 2002, from a six-month deployment to Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. Also there to welcome the Comer resident home were Armistead's wife Melissa and other family members. The 178th returned Sunday, Dec. 8, 2002, to Fort Benning in Columbus after spending six months at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. During their deployment the Guardsmen were part of the active duty, Guard and Reserve force assigned to watching over the more than 500 al-Qaida and Taliban detainees being held at Guantanmo's Camp Delta. The 178th was activated in early February to augment the 988th Military Police Company at Fort Benning in Columbus, four months after the terrorist attacks on New York and the Pentagon. (Georgia National Guard photo by Sgt. Roy Henry)      Soldiers of Monroe’s Military Police Company returned in December from their six-month deployment at Naval Station Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, in time to enjoy the holidays with their families.
      Monroe Police escorted about 30 of the Guardsmen down the city’s main street to their armory where they were released from duty a short time later by their commander, Capt. Jeff Carlyle. 
      The unit’s 159 members had been in Georgia about two weeks. After arriving by chartered commercial airliner at Robbins Air Force Base, the soldiers were bused to Fort Benning where they were met by family members and began out-processing from active duty.. 
      During its deployment to Guantanamo Bay, the 178th operated as part of Joint Task Force 160, which is responsible for guarding more than 500 al-Qaida and Taliban detainees being housed at Guantanamo’s Camp Delta. The Guardsmen monitored detainees inside the camp’s perimeter as well as escorting to and from interrogation sessions with investigators from the FBI, CIA and foreign intelligence agencies seeking information about future terrorist attacks.

Return to First Friday Briefing