Military police unit mobilized for overseas

Monday, Feb. 10, 2003 | 9:20 a.m.

More than 100 soldiers from the Nevada Army National Guard's 72nd Military Police Co. have been mobilized and will report Tuesday for training before receiving assignments to overseas missions.

"This unit has been on the tip of the spear defending the United States since Sept. 11, 2001," Maj. Gen. Giles Vanderhoof, adjutant general for Nevada, said.

The National Guard unit was placed on alert, the first stage of a potential deployment, on Wednesday. The mobilization came Friday, the same day the federal government elevated the national terror alert.

"This possible deployment will be tough on the soldiers, their families and their civilian employers, but the unit is trained and ready and I couldn't be more proud of them," Vanderhoof said.

The unit includes about 100 soldiers who drill at the Henderson Armory and a detachment of about 20 soldiers who drill in Ely. The soldiers will train and plan in the Las Vegas area until they fly to Fort McCoy, Wis., for possible deployment.

The unit returned in October from a one-year deployment to California to provide security at the Presidio of Monterey, the Defense Language Institute and the Ord Military Community, all in the Monterey, Calif., area.

The 72nd was the only Nevada Army Guard unit placed on active duty as a direct result of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. The company was deployed from Oct. 3, 2001, through Sept. 21, 2002.

The company is one of about 10 military police companies in the Army Guard specially trained to set up and operate a prisoner-of-war encampment. The unit last performed combat prisoner-of-war operations during seven months in 1991 during Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm.

Three Nevada Army National Guard units are currently deployed. The 1/221st Cavalry is performing security operations within Nevada while the 69th Press Camp Headquarters and the 126th Medical Co. (air ambulance) are deployed abroad at undisclosed areas.