CAMP ARIFJAN, Kuwait –
The Virginia National Guard’s Hanover-based 229th Military Police Company, 276th Engineer Battalion, 329th Regional Support Group took responsibility for a U.S. Central Command customs operations mission from the Missouri National Guard’s 1175th MP Company, 205th MP Battalion during a transfer of authority ceremony July 6, 2025, at Camp Arifjan, Kuwait.
More than 100 Soldiers assigned to the 229th arrived in the CENTCOM area of operations and began conducting customs operations by July 4.
“The 229th MP Company has demonstrated a consistently high level of professionalism, adaptability and effectiveness throughout the first few weeks of this deployment,” said the 229th’s 1st Lt. Austin Smith, currently the CENTCOM Customs commander. “They have successfully balanced a demanding operational tempo with a commitment to building positive relationships with all units requesting CENTCOM Customs operational support.”
Prior to arriving in the CENTCOM area of responsibility, the 229th MPs finished training and preparing for their mission at Fort Bliss, Texas. While there, Col. Juanita Rohler, commander of the Virginia Beach-based 329th RSG, and Lt. Col. Andrew Czaplicki and Command Sgt. Maj. Galem Coleman, the 276th Engineer Battalion command team, visited the unit, thanking the MPs for their hard work preparing for the deployment, and handing out challenge coins for exemplary service.
“We are incredibly proud of our Soldiers and honored by theirs and their Family’s sacrifice and commitment to our Nation and Commonwealth,” said Czaplicki. “I am confident in their leadership, their training, and their preparedness to perform their mission in the same safe and professional manner that they’ve already demonstrated. I am truly excited to hear about all the successes that they experience during this journey.”
The 229th has cleared several customs missions already, according to Smith. Those missions have included hundreds of personnel and thousands of bags and footlockers, as well as containers, pallets, vehicles, weapons and other military equipment. The total value of the goods the 229th has cleared so far is estimated at more than $2 billion.
In addition to the customs operations, three 229th Soldiers also participated in Exercise Native Fury in Jordan, a CENTCOM-sponsored exercise focused on integration of prepositioned U.S. forces and enhancing the capabilities and interoperability with international partners. One of the company’s Soldiers, Sgt. 1st Class James Nutter, performed exceptional work, according to Smith.
“Task Force Atlas awarded Sgt. 1st Class Nutter an Army Achievement Medal for his role in Native Fury Exercise,” said Smith. “This was the first AAM that TF Atlas awarded to anyone in the battalion since they assumed command responsibility. The 229th MP Company is setting the standard high.”
In addition to their CENTCOM responsibilities, the 229th MPs also celebrated Independence Day with a Morale, Welfare and Recreation run July 4, 2025.
“The MWR 4th of July run wasn't just a physical activity, it was a carefully planned morale event that tapped into a sense of tradition, fostered unit cohesion and provided a much-needed break from the stresses of deployment,” Smith said. “It was considered a resounding success by both leadership and the troops, and the unit is already planning to participate in more MWR 5Ks.”
Read more about the 276th Engineer battalion at https://vngpao.info/3v3vjczc.