http://www.kake.com/news/headlines/5158872.html

Kansas Guardsmen Head to Border
Email: news@kake.com


News Release 1-11-07:

The Kansas National Guard sent 40 soldiers this week to participate in a mission to counter illegal immigration by helping to secure the United States – Mexico border. Members of the 2nd Battalion, 130th Field Artillery were deployed in response to a request from the U.S. Departments of Defense and Homeland Security.


“We’re proud to answer the call to help secure our nation’s borders and I know our soldiers will do a tremendous job there,” said Governor Kathleen Sebelius.
“Helping defend our homeland is one of the most important missions our National Guard members have. This is a critical aspect of keeping our nation secure,” said Maj. Gen. Tod Bunting, the adjutant general.

Under Operation Jump Start, National Guard troops from around the country are being used as temporary support for U.S. Customs and Border Protection. These Kansas soldiers will deploy to Arizona for up to 30 days to man several Entry Identification Teams. The Entry Identification teams mission will be to monitor the border and report activities to border agents and local law enforcement.

The 2nd Battalion, 130th Field Artillery, which holds the lineage and honors of the 130th Field Artillery Regiment, traces its heritage to the 1st Kansas Artillery formed in 1868. Units or soldiers of the regiment have served in every conflict since the Civil War. The battalion was last activated for duty in December 2003 in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom, where the battalion was given various force protection missions in and around the Baghdad Area of Operations. The regiment has been awarded streamers for numerous campaigns to include Muese-Argonne, Alsace, Lorraine, the Aleutian Islands and the European Theatre. The battalion is headquartered in Hiawatha, with units in Abilene, Atchison, Burlington, Concordia, Fort Riley, Horton, Marysville, Ottawa, Sabetha, Salina, and Troy.

In July 2006, the 184th Civil Engineering Squadron, based out of Wichita, was the first Kansas unit to take part in Operation Jump Start.