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Iraq Vets Heading for Border Patrol

Updated: 6:07 PM Jul 12, 2006
Justin Ware


Compared to what these soldiers have been through in the past two years, their next deployment is a relative spring break.

"Good golfing, I guess," said Spc. Brian Hibbs, Iraq vet who's heading south for border patrol.

Many of these Wisconsin National Guard members who are bound for the Mexico border, have just returned from deployment in Iraq.

They are infantry soldiers, so their duties in the Middle East were much more dangerous than what their officers say they'll be facing when they arrive in Arizona.

"I really don't have to worry much about combat," said Spc. Joshua Walker, "don't have to worry about getting shot at every day, blown up every day. It's kind of more like a walk in a park."

"This, I'm not worried about," said Hibbs. "No one knows what's going on, but I'm pretty sure I'm not going to have to worry about the road blowing up on me."

The soldiers will be patrolling the US–Mexico border as part of President Bush's plan of curbing illegal immigration.

The use of National Guard troops for border patrols does have its critics who say using the Guard for immigration issues is a waste of resources.

But Lt. Colonel Tim Donovan says this is exactly what the Guard was created for.

"This is a new wrinkle in the National Guard's history of service," said Donovan, "but one we're fully capable of and it's absolutely an appropriate mission for the National Guard."

And the soldier's who volunteered for deployment in Arizona, couldn't agree more.

"I'm not thinking about that at all now, because we're going to Arizona," said HIbbs.

The 89 soldiers heading south are volunteers for this mission, but they say that doesn't mean they couldn't be sent back to Iraq, if their home unit is re–deployed.