It will be a homecoming of sorts for Caddo Sheriff’s Cpl. Levi Brown when he returns to work as a deputy January 3 after eight years serving his country in the U.S. Army.

Brown had only been a sheriff’s deputy for a couple of years when he was called to serve in the Iraq War in January of 2003.For the next eight years, his job at the Caddo Correctional Center remained vacant waiting for his return.

Caddo Sheriff Steve Prator said several deputies have military experience and have served their country during the war, but Brown has been gone the longest. “We are so appreciative of the sacrifices he and his family have made for our country,” Prator said. “We sincerely thank him and all of our deputies for their service and are excited to have them home.” 

From 2003 to 2004, Brown was responsible for security at Barksdale AFB as part of the National Guard’s 1/156 Armored Battalion from Fort Humbug. In 2004, he was deployed to Baghdad, Iraq. Brown went to Iraq three more times and once to Afghanistan between 2005 and 2011 with the 4^th Brigade, 10^th Mountain Division from Fort Polk. He returned from his last deployment in September, processed out of Fort Polk, and has been on leave since October.

On Tuesday, January 3, Brown will be recommissioned by Sheriff Prator and then head to the Sheriff’s Regional Training Academy where he will participate in firearms requalification and recertify in first aid, CPR, and defensive tactics as required by the Sheriff’s Office.

By the end of the week, he will return to the Caddo Correctional Center where he will spend a few weeks with a field training officer reacquainting himself with policies and procedures and learning the ins and outs of a new computer system.

Sheriff Prator said the department will slowly bring Brown up to speed on his job as a security deputy. Brown said he’s just happy to return to work, reacquaint with his co-workers, and enjoy the things he missed so much while in Iraq.