National Guard company comes home today

Daily Dunklin Democrat

KENNETT, Mo. -- First Sgt. Phillip Greenway of the 1137th Military Police Company announced Thursday that members of the National Guard company in Kennett are due back today at 8:30 p.m.

Greenway said that although the date and time had changed several times, military officials now expect the soldiers to be home today.

"I don't want to say just how many times the plans have changed," said Greenway, "but we fully expect them to be back" this afternoon. "They will come directly here to the National Guard Armory at 8:30 p.m., we will have a short ceremony and they will then be able to go home," Greenway said.

Greenway said that the armory personnel were in the process of putting together a schedule of events for the ceremony and are still organizing speakers for the event.

"Mayor Donald Parker I know is wanting to speak, and probably State Representative Otto Bean will be there," said Greenway. "Also the Adjutant General of the Missouri Army National Guard will be in attendance. We look to keep the presentations as short as possible so these men can get home to their families," he said.

The unit was mobilized in March 2003 to support peacekeeping operations in Kosovo. The 170 soldiers, commanded by Capt. Larry Crowder and First Sgt. William Murphy, served in Kosovo as part of Operation Joint Guardian.

The soldiers of the 1137th, whose missions include law enforcement duties, traffic control and security of an operation area, began as an infantry unit until it reorganized in 1968 as a military police company.

From 1990 to 1995 the unit hd been mobilized several times, including trips to Germany and Saudi Arabia for operations Joint Endeavor and Desert Storm, respectively. The unit was also mobilized to serve on state emergency duty in St. Louis.

For more information regarding the ceremonies, contact Second Lt. Jamie Melchert at (573) 638-9846.