Utah Guard unit facing Iraq perils

The same group of Utah soldiers who were among the first to deploy to the Mexican border as part of President Bush's Operation Jump Start will be headed to Iraq soon for one of the most dangerous jobs there.

The Utah National Guard announced this week it is sending about 200 men and women with the 116th Construction Support Equipment Company to Iraq to provide security for convoys. It was also announced earlier this week that about 140 Utah Marines and sailors with Charlie Company, 4th Light Armored Reconnaissance, will be leaving for Iraq as early as next week, with most of the reservists due to depart in June.

With about one-third of the U.S. casualties in Iraq coming from roadside bombs, the job for the 116th volunteers will be a risky one.

"It's taxing," said Guard spokesman 1st Lt. Kevin Larsen. "It drains the body. They've got to make sure they're getting their rest. It's definitely physically and mentally taxing."

That's because the bombs, also known as improvised explosive devices, can come in so many shapes and forms and can be hidden in so many cracks and crevices along a street, road or highway. Spotting IEDs, soldiers say, is difficult at best.

This month will go on record as at least the third deadliest since July 2003 in the number of U.S. troops killed by IEDs. As of Friday, 58 U.S. military members had been killed by IEDs during April, according to the Web site www.icasualties.org. Out of the 3,337 U.S. troops who have died in Iraq since the war began in 2003, 1,319 have been killed by IEDs.

The 116th will report in mid-May to Camp Shelby in Mississippi for training on how to spot IEDs.

"These guys need to be trained to be vigilant in their efforts to stay safe while they're gone," Larsen said.

He called the 116th's mission a "high threat" detail. The total deployment will last 12 months, starting out at Camp Shelby before moving to Iraq.

Last summer, soldiers with the 116th were among the first National Guard troops to deploy to the Mexican border to help beef up security and patrols along the Arizona and New Mexico borders.

The 116th will join about 400 soldiers with Utah's 1st Battalion, 145th Field Artillery, which is expected to arrive in Iraq in the next three or four months. Some soldiers with other Utah units are expected to come home sometime this year.

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E-mail: sspeckman@desnews.com