Oklahoma National Guard Troops From Okmulgee To Help Guard Border

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) -- 13 soldiers in the Oklahoma Army National Guard are on their way to the US-Mexican border to help guard against illegal immigrants.<br/><br/>The soldiers with the 120th Engineer Battalion

Thursday, September 7th 2006, 2:13 pm

By: News On 6

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) -- 13 soldiers in the Oklahoma Army National Guard are on their way to the US-Mexican border to help guard against illegal immigrants.

The soldiers with the 120th Engineer Battalion based in Okmulgee left Oklahoma City Thursday morning for Las Cruces, New Mexico, where they'll draw plans and build roads, fences and bridges along the border.

About 200 soldiers from the state's Air and Army National Guard have spent two- to three-weeks deployments along the border.

Lieutenant Colonel John Altebaumer says two more deployments of about 100 Oklahoma soldiers each are planned for later this month.

The deployments are part of President Bush's Operation Jump Start to increase security along the border.