The 800th Military Police Brigade Reunited With Loved Ones

The American Red Cross in Nassau County (ARC/Nassau) welcomed home 35 members of the 800th Military Police Brigade last Wednesday. The soldiers had arrived earlier in the day and were reunited with their friends, family and loved ones at the Army Reserve Center in Uniondale. The redeployment ceremony was a conclusion of one year that the soldiers served in Iraq. Among those who were reunited with family members was Sgt. Rick Navarro, a reservist, the only Levittown resident that was still stationed in Iraq. Sgt. Navarro was reunited with his wife Hedy and 3-year-old son, Justin.

The volunteers of ARC/Nassau were the greeters to the military personnel, returning troops and their families. They provided valuable information on soldiers returning to their lives at home. They also entertained the children of the soldiers with Red Cross coloring books which featured the return of a parent in the military. These services are a few of many that the AFES (Armed Forces Emergency Services) department of the ARC provides.

AFES is a department of the ARC/Nassau that provides needed support to military and their families. In case of an emergency, ARC/Nassau is able to contact military personnel in and out of the country. The ARC can verify emergency information and deliver it to immediate family. If a problem was to arise in communication with service members, the ARC is able to utilize their worldwide communications network and communicate with a ship or the instillation. The ARC also helps military and their families to understand the government benefits, support, and health services available to them.