Ceremony held as Kentucky National Guard soldiers prepare for Guantanamo Bay deployment

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- A ceremony was held Friday for more than 120 Kentucky National Guard soldiers preparing to deploy to Guantanamo Bay.

It was held for the Kentucky Army National Guard's 223rd Military Police Company at the United Auto Workers Union Hall in Louisville.

The soldiers are deploying in support of U.S. Southern Command.

"This has been a long journey for us," Captain Jeremy Hendrick said. "We've had a hard training event in order to prepare for this, and I think the soldiers are ready and excited about it."

The Louisville-based unit was last deployed in 2008-09 to Baghdad, Iraq, in Support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Aug. 23, 2019 Kentucky National Guard Deployment

Friends and family members say watching their loved ones leave is hard, but they couldn't be prouder.

"Getting used so saying goodbye to my son -- I think that's the hardest thing, and then my wife," Sgt. First Class Nicholas Vaughn said.

"I'm just so proud of him," said David Miller, whose son was among those deploying. "I can't even put it into words, really. He's just taking off and gonna be gone for a while to serve our country, you know?"