"The Army must take into account the special circumstances of this unit as it reassesses its needs in Iraq. These soldiers have been deployed 2 ½ of the past four years, and for this current deployment they have already served for more than a year. They were on a bus, ready to begin their journey home, when the rug was pulled out from under them and they were ordered to stay - it was a tremendous blow to the troops' morale and to their families," said Senator Collins. "Theses reserve members have proven their dedication to the mission at hand and have served our country well. But they are weary and deserve to return home to their families with the gratitude of the nation."
Senator Susan Collins has sent a letter to Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld regarding the status of the 94th Military Police Company, which, according to the Pentagon, is scheduled to stay in the Middle East for at least 90 additional days. Senator Collins has also asked Pentagon officials to take the special circumstances of the 94th unit into consideration.
The 94th Military Police Unit is an Army Reserve unit based in New Hampshire. There are 21 Mainers serving in this unit.