CLINTON, Miss. – What was planned as an outdoor departure ceremony early Wednesday morning for the 114th Military Police (MP) Company turned into a standing-room only ceremony in the Clinton High School auditorium.
The 114th MPs are being deployed to Iraq. First, they will spend about two months in preparation for their mission at Camp Shelby in Hattiesburg, Miss.
Dark, heavily overcast skies with a threat of rain caused the event to move inside. Hundreds of family members, friends and well-wishers packed the Arrows’ auditorium before 8 a.m. in support of the 180 soldiers. Most appear to fight back emotions.
“Any deployment is going to create emotions,” said Capt. Micah Taylor, company commander. “And it’s just a matter of how we deal with them. A lot of us try to be strong for our family members, because I know it’s hard on the family as well. We do the best we can, but there is no way around it. Deployments are hard. It’s a challenge; it’s a challenge we will meet head first and then continue forward.”
Spc. E-4 Mozell Aultman, a Prentiss, Miss. native, is one of those meeting the challenge. He said this deployment is his first to Iraq. “It is very difficulty to leave my family,” he said. He and his wife Etta are newly weds with three young sons. Embracing his boys, Aultman told The Mississippi Link, “This is why it is difficult.”
The Jackson resident has 10 years in the military. His assignment with this mission will be with the communication support system. “I’ll be making sure [fellow MPs] communicate with each other,” he said.
Previous deployments or operations of the 114th MP Company have included Operation Desert Storm, Operation Joint Endeavor, Operation Enduring Freedom, and disaster relief during Hurricanes Katrina and Gustov.
“We are blessed to be Americans,” said MP Lauren Short of the 113th. She has recently completed a tour of duty in Iraq, and was there to see her husband Sgt. Robert Short off. She said seeing what the Iraqis have to endure on a daily basis, “we’re blessed.”
During the ceremony, the troops were addressed by a number of superior officers, including Taylor, whose family members drove seven hours and 48 minutes from Kentucky to be with her for the sendoff.
Other officers and presenters on the progam included MG William Freeman, the Adjutant General, MSNG; BG Phil Fisher of the 184th BDE Commander; LTC Clintis McCray of the 112th MP Battalion Commander; Clinton Mayor Mary Aultman, the Attache’ Show Choir singing the National Anthem; Jan Jefcoat-Reeves, singing “God Bless America,” and others.
The sendoff was coordinated by Judy Forster and the Women’s ministry of Morrison Height Baptist Church of Clinton. Clinton military officials complimented Forster during the ceremony for routinely taking on such tasks for the soldiers and their families. “Our ministry will be adopting military families that are left behind, sending cards to families and the soldiers, and a number of things to ease the difficulties, ” said Forster.
LTC McCray assured the 114th that he would be checking on their training while they are at Camp Shelby. “You’re about to make history,” said LTC McCray. “We want you to be a success and you will succeed.”
According to Taylor, at the end of the 114th’s two-month training at Camp Shelby Camp, the soldiers will be given a four-day pass to visit their families before heading to Operation Iraqi Freedom.
(See page 4 for ceremony highlights.)
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