There was a military police brigade with over 3,400 soldiers getting ready to go home because their mission - prisoner-of-war operations - was finished.

The war was declared over - the end of major combat operations - in May 2003. Release procedures got under way immediately; reducing the population from 8,000 to just over 300, of course, requires fewer military police soldiers.

living conditions now are better in prison than at home. At one point we were concerned that they wouldn't want to leave.

I joined the 800th MP Brigade when they were already deployed.

The mission statement was ordered, and it sent the 800th MP Brigade, effective the first of July, up to Baghdad. I joined my brigade to take command at the end of June.

Thankfully we don't have any report but that might be as simple as soldiers being told what they can say to the media and what they can't say to the media,