Hundreds of people gathered Oct. 21 at a ceremony to “send off” 128 members of the Missouri National Guard 220th Engineer Construction Company, who will be deployed to support the Customs and Border Protection agency (CBP) along the country’s Southwest border.
Their families and friends attended the event at the Jefferson College Field House in Hillsboro.
In addition, representatives from local first responder agencies were on hand.
“I would say between 400 and 500 attended,” said Maj. Joseph Estes with the Missouri National Guard. “It was a really good ceremony. It was just a good turnout from all the families and from local emergency responders.”
The 220th Engineer Construction Company is based at the Festus Armory on Hwy. P in Hematite.
The Missouri National Guard said in a written statement that the deployed 220th members will assist the CBP’s mission along the border, under the direction of the U.S. Northern Command and Joint Task Force North.
“These citizen-soldiers will provide mission-enhancing support to CBP’s border security operations to enable CBP agents to conduct their law enforcement mission more efficiently,” the report said.
Family and friends watched the ceremony from Field House bleachers. Dignitaries also were at the event, including Missouri Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft, as well as a number of high-ranking military leaders.