Ohio National Guard News

FORT DIX, N.J. Sept. 23, 2009—After a celebratory sendoff at the National Guard Armory in Marysville, Ohio, the Soldiers of the 585th Military Police Company spent the next five weeks training at Fort Dix for their Police Transition Team mission in Iraq.

More than 160 Soldiers from the Buckeye state arrived on the installation with one thing in their sights: get the training necessary for their deployment and get the mission underway.

Capt. Kevin Harrold, the company commander said the unit reorganized as an MP company three years ago. This is the unit’s first deployment, although more than 25 percent of the assigned Soldiers have deployed at least once to Iraq or Afghanistan.

There is plenty of experience among the troops as many of them are first responders in their civilian lives.

“Spc. Steven Fagan was sworn in as a member of his hometown fire department in Mifflin Township, Gahanna, Ohio, two days ago via the phone,” Harrold said. “Many of our Soldiers chose to put their college education on hold so they could deploy with the company.”

Harrold is a career Soldier with more than 17 years in the Army. A prior enlisted military police officer, he said one of the highlights of his career thus far was when he served as a patrol supervisor and squad leader at Fort Hood in Texas - the world’s largest military installation.

“I believe my enlisted service gives me a clearer and deeper understanding of the unit, its mission, and our Soldiers,” Harrold said.

“We have an excellent group of Soldiers and leaders in the company. I’m very proud of them all.”

The 585th underwent rigorous training while at Fort Dix which included convoy operations, weapons familiarization and qualification, language orientation, and interaction with Iraqi police and village leaders.

Pfc. Jacob Parker, whose grandfather is a retired Army colonel, has a profound love for his profession as a law enforcement officer. He believes that training the Iraqi police is an opportunity to help the nation become more independent.

“Personally, I like law enforcement and the training that accompanies the job. So far this is right up my alley. I’m excited to deploy. I believe we have been trained well and are prepared for our mission and we will be successful,” Parker said.

Fagan, one of his fellow Soldiers, is a former Marine with nine years in the military. After serving eight years in the Marine Corps he felt it was time to focus on building his family so he returned to the civilian world. Still feeling the call to serve the country he joined the Army National Guard a year ago and is ready to embark on his first deployment.

“I think everyone is a little nervous of the unknown, but I’m very confident in my training, the company, and all of our Soldiers. We have a squared away company and I know we will go overseas and accomplish our mission and return home,” Fagan said.

The 585th finishes up the company’s mission readiness exercise this week and will then move into theater to take on the mission for which it has trained so diligently.

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