Border agents train, toil for chance to move up
Jody Lawrence-Turner
Staff writer
August 27, 2008


Antonio Lepe has spent months conditioning his body to save a federal agent from mountainous terrain, rescue illegal aliens stranded in an unforgiving desert or someone drowning in near-hurricane conditions.

His goal is to pass the national Border Patrol Search, Trauma and Rescue Academy, or BORSTAR — five weeks of pushing a body’s abilities to the max by training for high-risk rescues. This is the 35-year-old’s fourth attempt.

“This is very trying,â€