Four of these soldiers are members of the Michigan Army National Guard's 210th Military Police Battalion located in Taylor, MI and have recently returned from an overseas deployment in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.

SSG Gene Kind is a member of the 144 Military Police Company with 16 years of service in the National Guard and aspirations of becoming a Police Chief in his civilian career. Kind celebrates this achievement with his fiancée Fran Moreau (also a member of the National Guard) and their seven children, Joshua, Alex, Audri, Gene II, Joseph, Kyle and Cassandra.

SGT Jason Daw and SPC Micheal Norman are members of the 1776th Military Police Company with 8 years and 3 years of service respectively and both expect long careers in law enforcement to include Special Weapons and Tactics and hopes of federal law enforcement. Daw shares this achievement with his three children Joshua, Hannah and Steven and his parents, Janice and Bill Tatman.

SPC Steven Lada is a member of the 1775th Military Police Company with 3 years of service. Lada intends to further his training and enjoy a long and rewarding career in both civilian and military law enforcement.

One soldier, Senior Airman Nicholas Schram has been a member of the 110th Fighter Wing in Battle Creek, MI for more than a year, holds a Bachelor's Degree in General Studies and looks forward to the start of a long career in law enforcement. This achievement is celebrated by both Nicholas and his mother Joan Schram.

I personally had the privilege of shaking the hand of each soldier and thanking them for their service as did the 210th Military Police Battalion Commander, LTC Stephen Potter, Command Sergeant Major Sandra Chwierut and First Sergeant Mark Flury who attended the ceremony and cheered their soldiers with great pride and even greater expectations for the future.