Approximately 120 Illinois Army National Guard Soldiers who served overseas for the past year returned home over the weekend.
The 333rd Military Police Company, headquartered in Freeport, Illinois, mobilized in June 2019, but their return had been delayed by two months due to COVID-19.
The unit arrived at Fort Bliss, Texas, on July 1, where, after two weeks of quarantine, the Soldiers conducted two days of administrative out processing and received airline tickets to return home. Upon arrival at the various airports, the Soldiers were released to their families.
Maj. Gen. Michael R. Zerbonia, of Chatham, Illinois, Illinois Army National Guard Commander and Assistant Adjutant General – Army expressed his gratitude to the 333rd. “You had a challenging mission,” Zerbonia told the returning Soldiers. “You performed your mission with a great deal of professionalism. Each of you should be proud on the completion of a successful mission.”
While deployed, the 333rd conducted several key military police law enforcement missions in support of the local U.S. Navy commander. The company worked in three concurrent shifts conducting the three MP missions. Details including the location of the 333rd Military Police Company’s overseas mission is being withheld for the security and safety of the Soldiers and their families. The company, commanded by Capt. Nicholas Klinke, of Elburn, Illinois, will not be conducting a traditional welcome home ceremony due to COVID-19 gathering restrictions.