Arkansas National Guardsmen celebrate with family ahead of deployment to Romania

PULASKI COUNTY, Ark. – More than 30 National Guardsmen from Arkansas are soon being deployed to Romania for nine months.

At a deployment ceremony hosted at Camp Robinson, the members of the 216th Military Police Company being deployed were sent off in style.

Music, promotions, reenlisting and awards all accompanied the farewell, one of the last times the soldiers will be in Arkansas for months. For Captain William Winn, it's his first deployment. 

"Overall, I think we're very excited and ready to do our part," explained Winn, accompanied by his wife, Heaven.

Winn is just one of many headed to Romania to strengthen alliances and assist in keeping the peace in eastern Europe, a mission that's more important now than ever. 

"The 871st troop battalion is getting ready to send their 216th military police company, one platoon, over to Romania for a 9-month deployment," Col. Anthony Sanders explained.