National Guard company based in Winterville leaving for Guantanamo Bay

A company of the North Carolina National Guard is leaving Eastern Carolina for an operation out in Guantanamo Bay.

The 514th Military Police Company, based out of Winterville in Pitt County, marched out of the Pirates Club at Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium in front of loved ones on Sunday.

It was part of a ceremony hosted by the North Carolina National Guard to celebrate the company before it departs for Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.

The 160 soldiers will perform security operations as part of Operation Enduring Freedom.

"It's a pretty awesome occasion to have everyone here," Lt. Fredrick Yebuah said. "We have our traditional families with us but we also have our military family which is, which is nice to see their support."

The 514th will be deployed for about ten months. These men and women have previously been called to State Active Duty missions for Hurricane Matthew and the 2016 Charlotte Riots.