Thread: Border Fence Gets Military Makeover

http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/mexi ... fence.html

Border fence gets military makeover
By Janine Zúñiga
UNION-TRIBUNE STAFF WRITER
July 9, 2005

Soldiers and Marines are tearing down and rebuilding the aging and patched 10-foot-tall border fence that separates the United States and Mexico at the Pacific Ocean.

NELVIN CEPEDA / Union-Tribune
These 30-foot beams are being sunk 15 feet into the sand during the overhaul of the border fence between the U.S. and Mexico. The experts here are from the Army's 86th Engineering Team based at Fort Eustis in Virginia.
Until recently, the fence, made from old airstrip landing material that had greatly deteriorated, hit the beach at Border Field State Park and continued 300 feet into the ocean.

For a few weeks, at least, there will be no fence.

Most of the dilapidated fence, as it runs east toward the San Ysidro Port of Entry and beyond, is standing. Even so, U.S. Border Patrol officials say they have stepped up security in the area.

"We have extra agents on duty, portable light generators and camera systems," said Border Patrol spokesman Kurstan Rosberg. "We've got the area secure."

People on the Mexican side of the fence have gathered during the day to watch the work, which began last month. For many on the beach it was the first unobstructed view of the U.S. side in about 14 years.

Robert Fernandez Delgado, who was walking his dog at the Playas beach in Tijuana, said the fence needs to be repaired.

"It's in pretty bad shape," Fernandez said. "I think they used the wrong materials when they built it. The saltwater just corrodes it."

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is in charge of upgrading the fence, which was built in 1991 to replace a weaker one and to close gaps in it. The work is being done for U.S. Customs and Border Protection.

Project manager Bob Wooley of Fort Worth declined to estimate what the fence might cost or when it will be finished. That will depend, he said, on how the fence is constructed.

Wooley said the military units deployed to work on the fence are working out the details now.

Army 1st Lt. Eric Marshall of Fort Eustis in Virginia and 12 other soldiers from the 86th Engineering Team were chosen because they are diving specialists. Several hundred feet of fence is in the water.

"We mostly work underwater so this is kind of interesting," Marshall said. "This is the first fence we've ever put in. We've done some underwater work and some work in the surf. Wet suits and hard hats, it's not something you see very often."

Marshall said his team used diving and cutting techniques to dismantle sections of the submered fence. The soldiers will be on site through July. The old fence was made of a carbon steel. The new fence will be made of coated railroad ties with metal plates to help prevent corrosion, he said.

A 240-foot-tall crane is being used to help position the ties, which will be connected and cut so the fence is even, Marshall said.

Work on the fence outside the surf is being done by a combat engineer platoon from Miramar Marine Corps Air Station.

1st Lt. Justin Miller said his team of about 22 Marines tore down the old fence in about a week. Miller said the team is waiting for more materials.

In the meantime, Miller said the Marines might patch sections of the old fence if they are not able to replace it immediately due to a steep access road. Miller said it eventually will be replaced.

Miller said both military units recently returned from Iraq, the soldiers in January, the Marines in March.

"It's great to be working here," Miller said. "It's the beach, not Iraq."

Janine Zuniga: (619) 498-6636; janine.zuniga@uniontrib.com

Our border need to look like this!!!!

http://www.scottishpsc.org.uk/Pictures/wall.jpg

Defens,
Now that's a Wall!