Nebraska City residents waved flags and held up signs to show their support for the 192nd Military Police Detachment Saturday.
After a send-off ceremony at Northside Elementary, where Army National Guard officials, Governor Dave Heineman and other dignitaries spoke, the Guard members and their families shared tearful goodbyes.
The detachment then boarded buses, and escorted by law enforcement, Nebraska City Fire and Rescue vehicles and the Patriot Guard, headed out of town.
The public lined the route, with many gathering downtown to cheer the group. The fire department raised the flag over Central Avenue with its aerial truck.
The Military Police Detachment, based in Nebraska City, has approximately 45 members being deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.
This is the second time the unit has deployed overseas, having served in Kosovo in 2003. The unit also performed military police duties during both Hurricane Katrina and Gustav.
Following Saturday’s ceremony, the soldiers headed to Fort Bliss, Texas, for additional training before deploying into the Central Command Theater of Operations. Their final destination is not being released at this time.
