Army Spec. David M. Riecke has returned to the 164th Military Police Company at Fort Richardson, Alaska, after being deployed to an overseas forward operating base in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Operation Iraqi Freedom is the official name given to military operations involving members of the U.S. armed forces and coalition forces participating in efforts to free and secure Iraq. Mission objectives focus on force protection, peacekeeping, stabilization, security and counter-insurgency operations as the Iraqi transitional governing bodies assume full sovereign powers to govern the peoples of Iraq.

Members from all branches of the U.S. military and multinational forces are also assisting in rebuilding Iraq’s economic and governmental infrastructure, and training and preparing Iraqi military and security forces to assume full authority and responsibility in defending and preserving Iraq’s sovereignty and independence as a democracy.

Riecke, a recently promoted military police member, has served in the military for more than two years. He is the son of Randall T. Riecke of Fort Gratiot, Mich., and Glenda L. Riecke of Bloomingdale. The specialist graduated in 2003 from Hardaway High School.