Story and photo by Sgt. Heather Denby
Special to GUIDON

After a yearlong deployment overseas, Family members and friends of 1st squad, 3rd platoon, 988th Military Police Company waited for an additional three hours while their Soldiers finished the last leg of their delayed flight July 24 from Afghanistan.

“I would wait here all day if I had to,” said Katey Lee, wife of Spc. Keith Lee, a military police Soldier assigned to the 988th MP Co.

“It’s worth it…he’s worth it,” she said.

Lee is one of 12 Soldiers assigned to the elite mission of safeguarding the general officers that are directly responsible for making key military decisions within the Middle East.

“There’s no greater responsibility than protecting our nation’s future which is in the hands of the very officers these men and women were sworn to protect,” said Lt. Col. Jeffrey Bevington, 92nd Military Police Battalion commander. “You’ve done an incredible job keeping these folks out of harm’s way so that they can focus on making the tough choices that ultimately affect each and every one of us in this room.”  

Alongside Bevington sat Command Sgt. Maj James Schultz, 92nd MP Bn., Command Sgt. Maj. Frederico Boyce, 4th Maneuver Enhancement Brigade, and Col. James Reckard III,  4th MEB commander.

Reckard said that the deployment was a success thanks to not only the dedication and discipline of its Soldiers, but also for the sacrifice and support of their Family members and friends.

During their deployment, the Soldiers of 1st squad, 3rd platoon, 988th MP Co., provided protective service for more than 250 combat missions, as well as the re-opening of Ghazi Olympic Stadium, which was reconstructed and dedicated as the nation’s first FIFA-certified soccer stadium capable of holding future world-class games.

The welcome home ceremony for 1st squad is the first of four groups from the company slated to return this year.

(Editor’s note: Denby is a photojournalist assigned to the 4th Maneuver Enhancement Brigade Public Affairs Office.)