Carper Salutes Delaware National Guard

DELAWARE CITY, DE – Senator Tom Carper today praised the members of the 153rd Military Police Company of the Delaware National Guard, at a deployment ceremony that marked their first call to service. This is the largest mobilization of the Delaware Army National Guard since World War II. The soldiers will serve as part of a task force helping to provide site and installation security for U.S. interests in Riyadh. “Few in our state will sacrifice as much for their nation as these members of the Delaware National Guard. Their actions bring honor to our state and to their families,” Carper said. “These soldiers have answered the call to service. They are living standards of excellence and honor.” This is the first activation of the 153rd Military Police Company, which was formed in 1997. 150 soldiers are being called up to service. The tour will begin next August and will last 270 days. Carper is a cosponsor of S.1680, a bill that would extend protections of the Soldiers’ And Sailors’ Civil Relief Act of 1940. Current law extends certain protections to members of the National Guard who are deployed abroad by the President. Protections preclude these soldiers from being evicted from their homes or having their homes foreclosed on because they’ve taken a pay cut to serve their state and their country. It places a ceiling on the interest rates that their creditors can charge them while they’re away from their civilian jobs protecting the public. Carper is working to extend those protections to members of the National Guard who have been mobilized by our nation’s governors for domestic homeland security operations. Carper completed five years of service as a Naval flight officer, serving in Southeast Asia during the Vietnam War. He went on to serve another 18 years in the Naval Reserve and retired with the rank of Captain. Carper is a member of the Congressional National Guard Caucus.