After months overseas, Plover officer returns to the beat

By Brandi Makuski

PLOVER — After nearly 10 months overseas with the Wisconsin Army National Guard, Plover police officer and National Guard Sgt. Jason Smith is back on patrol and settling into life at home.

Smith returned to Wisconsin in late March after a deployment that took him to Kuwait and Pakistan as part of Operation Inherent Resolve and Operation Spartan Shield. The Stevens Point native, who joined the National Guard in 2021, said military service was something he had wanted to do for years.

“I always wanted to serve the community,” Smith said. “The National Guard was kind of the best of both worlds because you get to serve federally and at the state level.”

Smith serves with Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 2nd Battalion, 127th Infantry Regiment, a Wisconsin Army National Guard unit based in Appleton. He joined the Guard in 2021 as an 11C indirect fire infantryman, commonly known as a mortarman.

Smith deployed with the battalion in late May 2025 and spent most of his tour stationed at Camp Buehring in Kuwait, where his unit trained alongside military forces from partner nations.

One of the highlights of the deployment, he said, was participating in Operation Inspired Gambit 13, a multinational training exercise in Pakistan.

“There was a lot of cultural exchange and relationship building,” Smith said. “We got to work closely with their military and share tactics and training.”

Smith and other members of his mortar unit trained with Pakistani forces, specializing in heavy weapons and support operations. The experience challenged some of his preconceived notions about the country.

“When I first heard we were going to Pakistan, I was surprised,” he said. “I didn’t know much about the relationship between the U.S. and Pakistan. It was interesting to learn more about the culture and work alongside them.”

The deployment also took Smith away from a police department where he had worked for only about a year before being called to active duty.

“We’re a small department, so when you lose any officer to anything, it’s a huge impact,” Plover Police Chief Ryan Fox said. “It was hard on resources and hard on staffing.”

Fox said Smith’s deployment came during a period when the department was already dealing with other staffing changes and vacancies.

“But everyone rallied,” Fox said. “They kept their morale up and stepped up to fill that gap.”

For much of the deployment, daily life was relatively routine, focused on training and readiness exercises. That changed near the end of Smith’s tour when regional tensions escalated and his unit became involved in Operation Epic Fury.

Missiles frequently crossed overhead, and service members were occasionally awakened by explosions.

“It was definitely jarring,” Smith said. “After months of training and a pretty routine schedule, suddenly you’re getting woken up in the middle of the night and hearing explosions with windows rattling.”

At one point, uncertainty over regional airspace restrictions left soldiers unsure when they would be allowed to return home. Smith said his family and employer were informed that departures could be delayed indefinitely.

A week later, however, he learned he had been selected for one of the first flights home.

“There was a lot of anxiety because we didn’t know what was going to happen,” Smith said. “Even when we got to the airfield, there was still activity everywhere.”

Shortly before departure, Smith said personnel took cover following nearby drone strikes before boarding their aircraft.

While Smith was dealing with escalating tensions overseas, Fox said officers back home were closely monitoring developments in the Middle East.

“You think he’s going somewhere safe, but you don’t know,” Fox said. “Then things start popping off over there, and you start hearing Kuwaiti bases are being hit. We didn’t know exactly where he was, so you really worry about that.”

Fox said department members stayed in contact with Smith’s family throughout the deployment and were relieved when they learned he had safely left the region.

“When we knew he was out of the Middle East and over in Europe, it was a huge relief,” Fox said. “But the entire department is really proud of him.”

Despite the distance, technology helped Smith remain connected to his wife and young son throughout the deployment.

“Communication was actually very good,” Smith said. “We were able to FaceTime and talk regularly.”

That connection helped ease the transition when he returned home after stops in Germany, Baltimore, and Texas before finally landing in Appleton, where family members greeted him.

He took about three weeks off before returning to the Plover Police Department. He said getting back into police work was easier than expected, although some of the paperwork took time to relearn.

“I was with another officer for about a day and a half, and then it all kind of clicked,” Smith said.

Shortly after returning home, Smith also received a promotion to sergeant in the National Guard.

Fox said Smith’s deployment was the first overseas deployment by a Plover police employee that he could recall.

“It was all new territory for us,” Fox said. “Especially for me.”

Smith said he was grateful for the support he received from fellow officers and supervisors during his absence.

“I’m very appreciative to Chief Fox, the administration, the sergeants, lieutenants, and all the officers,” Smith said. “I know it was a difficult time for the department, and everyone was incredibly supportive. When I came back, they were welcoming and happy to have me back.”

The support extended beyond the department.

When Smith returned home, marquee signs at businesses throughout the area displayed welcome-home messages recognizing his military service.

“I was not expecting that at all,” Smith said. “I was really appreciative of just being part of a community that has so much support.”

Fox said even more businesses volunteered to participate than the department was able to coordinate.

“The willingness of people to step up and do that without even hesitating was awesome,” Fox said. “It really showed the support this community has for its service members.”

While Smith said he is proud of his military service and grateful for the experience, he expects his current enlistment will likely be his last.

“I wouldn’t change much about it,” Smith said. “It was a great experience, but I think getting out next year is probably the best decision for me and my family.”

Looking back on the deployment, Smith said the most important lesson was the value of the people serving alongside him.

“There are going to be challenges and frustrations,” he said. “But if you have good relationships with the people around you and keep a positive attitude, you can get through a lot.”

Smith graduated from Stevens Point Area Senior High School in 2013 and joined the Plover Police Department roughly a year before deploying overseas. He said he plans to remain with the department and continue serving the community he considers home.

“This is home for me,” Smith said.