New York National Guard MP Soldiers return to the United States for demobilization after deployment

Auburn-based 102nd Military Police Battalion served at Guantanamo Bay

LATHAM, NY (05/02/2015)(readMedia)-- Fifty Soldiers from the New York Army National Guard's 102nd Military Police Battalion, which is headquartered in Auburn, are back in the United States following the completion of duties serving with the Joint Detention Group at Joint Task Force Guantanamo.

The unit completed its mission April 30, and arrived at Fort Bliss, Texas on Saturday, May 2. The Soldiers will demobilize at Fort Bliss and are expected to r eturn home to New York in about a week.

The Soldiers mobilized onto active duty July 4, 2014 in Auburn, New York and following predeployment training at Fort Bliss, left the United States for Guantanamo Bay just a month later on August 5, 2014.

While deployed, the battalion Soldiers served with the Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 40th Infantry Division, of the California Army National Guard as part of the Joint Detention Group.

The MP Soldiers provided command and control of 1,400 Military Police Soldiers administering five detention facilities to provide safe, legal, transparent and humane care and custody of those detainees brought under U.S. security from overseas operations.

The unit missions included nine Detainee Movement Operations in which 27 detainees were released, three International Committee of the Red Cross visitations, the facilitation of 60 distinguished visitor visits from a variety of military, Congressional or foreign delegations and 25 different news media visits with journalists from across five continents.

The group also supported three ongoing military commissions.

During the tour the 102nd MPs promoted ten Soldiers and awarded 22 Soldiers with the Most Outstanding Volunteer Service Medal for individual contributions by members on their own time.

The detachment Soldiers were drawn from military police officers and NCOs from across the 102nd Military Police Battalion and came from communities across New York State.

Other individuals accomplishments include:

-The selection of Master Sgt. Mark Sorrentino and Sgt. Caprice Vanauken as the"Joint Task Force Motivator of the Week";

-Sgt. 1st Class Karanlall Brijbukhan was selected as the "Joint Task Force NCO of the Quarter;"

-Sgt. Ashley Towers was recognized as the "Joint Task Force Enlisted person of the Year;"

And Staff Sgt. Adam Scanlon and Spc. Leon Mabra successfully completing the cavalry spur competition and being inducted into "The Order of the Spur" with Soldiers from Crazy Horse Troop, 1st Squadron, 3rd Cavalry Regiment.