55 in Utah Guard bound for border

Fifty-five engineers with the Utah National Guard leave today for Yuma, Ariz., to assist with immigration-related duties along the U.S.-Mexico border.

It's the first group of Utah soldiers being deployed as part of President Bush's plan to send as many as 6,000 troops to that border over the next two years.

The 55 soldiers with Utah's 116th Construction Support Equipment Company and two other units will be deployed for only two weeks along the border. On this mission, part of Bush's Operation Jump Start, they will assist with extending an existing fence along the border, improving lighting at a border crossing and building a road.

"The Guard won't be involved in patrolling or law enforcement duties," said Guard spokesman Maj. Hank McIntire.

Uniformed soldiers will not wear Kevlar helmets or flak jackets, and they will not be armed. The purpose is to avoid even the appearance of an aggressive posture, said 116th Commander Capt. Talon Greeff.

If Greeff's soldiers actually see a person illegally crossing the border while working in the San Luis area, located 25 miles southwest of Yuma, the protocol is to withdraw and report to Border Patrol officials.

Bush has asked the military to help with intelligence analysis, linguistics and logistical support along the border, tasks McIntire said Utah soldiers will help with in coming months.

"At some point we will likely send additional troops," he said. "But we're not looking at this as a long-term thing."

Two weeks will be the normal amount of time all Guard soldiers will be deployed. That coincides with a soldier's required two weeks of training each year, McIntire said.

"So, it's not an additional hardship for families or employers," he added. Guard members can, however, volunteer for extended border duties for three to six months.

It's the second time in the past five years Utah soldiers have been deployed for border duty. Previously, the Utah National Guard was sent to Southern California to assist in similar projects.

"We are doing work that will have a long-term impact," said Greeff, who served in Iraq for one year. "We're excited to go to the border."

Overall this year, Utah will see more of its volunteer soldiers coming home than leaving.

Next week 120 Utahns will deploy to Afghanistan in a military adviser role for up to 18 months, helping to train that country's military. But later about 500 soldiers with the 222nd Field Artillery unit are expected to be coming home from Iraq.

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E-mail: sspeckman@desnews.com