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SALT LAKE CITY (AP) -- Following President Bush's announced plan to deploy National Guard troops to the Mexican border, Utah National Guard units are preparing for a possible call-up.
Utah Guard officials said the 1457th Engineer Battalion and 300th Military Intelligence Brigade are capable of fulfilling two of the missions outlined by the president in his May 15 speech.
"We have not officially received a tasking at this time," spokesman Maj. Hank McIntire said. However, Guard officials did say they are analyzing annual training schedules and requirements in preparation for the call.
With nearly 1,000 soldiers, the 1457th Engineer Battalion has built roads, barricades and facilities during combat missions and hurricane relief efforts.
"That's right down our lane," Lt. Col. Robert Dunton, the battalion commander, said of plans to build infrastructure along the border. "Right now, the discussion is preliminary for us. We would relocate our annual 20-day training event to the border area."
Dunton said that rather than work on the infrastructure of Camp Williams, his troops could perform the same functions along the border. If the deployment went longer than 20 days, the unit could use volunteers for that extended duty.
The 300th Military Intelligence Brigade can provide trained Army linguists throughout the world.
"If we were called upon, we would be used for our language capabilities," said brigade commander Col. Jeff Mitchell. "We are very capable of interfacing with people."
(Copyright 2006 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
