Story by: Mr. Daniel Szarek, Deputy Director of Public Affairs MSNG
The Mississippi National Guard (MSNG) welcomed home approximately 65 service members from our Nation’s Capital, Thursday, Sept. 25, 2025, at Thompson Field Air National Guard Base in Flowood. A contingency of approximately 70 Guardsmen from the MSNG’s 66th Troop Command departed earlier that morning to replace the group returning home from the mission. The decision to enact the virtually one-for-one swap came after Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves approved an extension of the D.C. mission to Nov. 30, 2025, reconstructing the forces based on mission needs.
The returning Soldiers, comprised of military police from the 112th Military Police (MP) battalion’s two companies, the 113th MP Company (Co.) headquartered in Brandon, and the 114th MP Co. based in Clinton, are “happy to have had the opportunity to do this mission, but are excited to be back home,” said Army Capt. Austin Riels (pron. rye-uhlz), a battle captain and assistant operations officer in the 112th MP Battalion (Bn.). “I believe that everybody is ready to resume their normal everyday lives. Ready to see their families and continue their [civilian] jobs.”
Every military mission has its unique positive and negative attributes, but Riels wouldn’t change a thing about his recent deployment. “Whether it’s ups, downs, or anything in between, it was overall a great experience, and you can use it to learn no matter what.
“The last three years our operations tempo has been really high; different companies have been assigned to different mission sets,” he continued. “Within the last year, the missions we’ve been doing have really brought the battalion closer. We’re learning how to operate as a whole again.”
Riels looks to show his appreciation and congratulations to the troops for a job well done. “Our guys went up there, they showed out and they received multiple compliments and accolades while being spotlighted. I’d put them against the best of anybody around.”
Mississippi deployed approximately 180 service members to the nation’s capital in mid-August 2025 to support the U.S. Secret Service, U.S. Park Police, Capitol Police, and other local and federal law enforcement agencies in maintaining good order and discipline, and safety of the public in and around the D.C. metro area. The element, named Joint Task Force Magnolia, is part of the larger Joint Task Force D.C. supporting Operation Safe and Beautiful D.C.
Joint Task Force Magnolia, comprised of soldiers from Mississippi’s 66th Troop Command and airmen from the Mississippi Air National Guard’s Security Forces, is providing team and squad-level patrols within established sectors of major metro and high-crime areas of the National Capital Region. Mississippi is the only state commanding multiple states’ National Guard units, including the 239th MP Company of the Louisiana National Guard.
