Army National Guard Staff Sgt. Travis M. Pond is returning to the U.S. after a deployment to Iraq serving in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom/New Dawn, or Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan and the Southwest Asia Theater of Operations.

The soldiers return to Joint Base Dix-McGuire-Lakehurst, N.J., for debriefing, evaluations and out-processing procedures before returning to their regularly assigned Army Reserve or National Guard units.

Operation New Dawn transitions and signifies a formal end to U.S. military combat operations in Iraq. Operation Enduring Freedom is the official name given to anti-terrorism military operations involving U.S. troops and allied coalition partners.

The sergeant, a military police member with more than 11 years of service, is regularly assigned to the 136th Transportation Co., based out of Bangor.

He is the son of Edward J. and Wendy A. Pond of New Sharon. Pond graduated in 2001 from Mt. Blue High School, Farmington.

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