by Clynt Ridgell, KUAM News Thursday, August 17, 2006 Subscribe to Clynt's newsfeed   E-mail this article Printable version KUAM Toolbar Web Widgets Get RSS headlines

80 of Guam's National Guard soldiers will be headed to Arizona next month to assist in federal immigration control detail. Operation Jumpstart began two months ago in which the National Guard committed to post 6,000 soldiers on the borders of New Mexico, Texas, California and Arizona. Adjutant General Donald Goldhorn explained that Guam's border patrol mission that includes both our infantry and Air Guard soldiers.

The general told KUAM News, "We will be doing observations along the border and sending our infantry soldiers to do that mission. They will be wearing night vision goggles and other kinds of equipment to identify suspected illegal aliens. They will then report that to the border patrol and customs who will actually be doing the arresting." Goldhorn says the most difficult aspect of this mission is that soldiers will be working in extreme weather conditions and tough terrain which makes for ideal training.

The 80 Guam soldiers are scheduled to leave September 4 and their duty is anticipated to last approximately two months.