229th Engineers will mobilize to southern U.S. border in the fall
1SG Josh Bowers 229th Engineer Vertical Construction Company
By Correne Martin
The Prairie du Chien 229th Engineer Company of the Wisconsin Army National Guard will mobilize this fall to the southwest U.S. border for non-law enforcement customs and border protection activities, according a news release issued July 7 by the Department of Military Affairs (DMA). The mission is reported to be for around one year.
About 125 Wisconsin soldiers will deploy, likely in October, in support of the current Department of Defense mission assisting the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, the news release said. Wisconsin is one of 23 states that will continue a current federal mission ordered by President Joe Biden.
First Sergeant Josh Bowers explained that the 229th is an Engineer Vertical Construction Company (EVCC) whose expertise is building roads and structures, pouring concrete, performing masonry and electrical work, and “guarding/tower security work.” The company has two vertical construction platoons and one horizontal construction platoon.
“At this point, we’re not aware of what our mission is going to be,” said 1SG Bowers, who lives in Beloit but grew up in Wauzeka and stays with his parents when he goes for drill. “Though it doesn’t matter what our mission, our job is the same. We take whatever we’re assigned and accomplish it.”
Upon receiving a text to check his email right away Tuesday, Bowers was activated by phone and then tasked with building a roster of 125 soldiers from the 229th, which is based in Prairie du Chien as well as Richland Center. Troops come from an average of a two-hour drive from base—mostly Wisconsin, Iowa, Illinois and Minnesota. If they don’t have enough men and women for this mission, they will reach out to other area Guard units.
There are some 229th Engineers among 500 Wisconsin National Guard troops on Covid-19 order, which they have been in response to for some time, Bowers noted.
Since the announcement last week, the 229th is obviously preparing for premobilization at the Fort Bliss, Texas, training base. Before then, Bowers expects to learn more details about the 229th’s mission. He anticipates the company consolidating with a task force before the mission begins.
Bowers has 24 years in the National Guard. He was previously deployed to Iraq in 2003, to Afghanistan as a platoon sergeant in 2012 and for civil unrest duties in the states. He also spent 17 months on the Arizona/Mexico border building and tearing down fences. Bowers has been the 229th 1SG for over three years. As he eyes retirement and training his replacement, he has reached his goals of being deployed and moving up the ranks to, now, becoming 1SG of the 229th during a deployment.
When asked about the emotions surrounding this activation, Bowers said, “It’s excitement that my career is coming to an end and I’m finally getting the deployment I want. It’s quite different from my first couple of deployments, which were more concern for the mission.” He also pointed out that making arrangements to be gone is never easy.
The 229th will mobilize in Title 10 status, meaning they will operate under federal control with federal funding from the Defense department, according to the DMA.
The Wisconsin National Guard continues to maintain a high operations tempo for the state’s response to the COVID pandemic.
Meanwhile, dozens of Airmen from the Wisconsin Air National Guard continue worldwide mobilizations, and about 50 soldiers from the Wisconsin Army National Guard’s Waukesha-based 135th Medical Company remain in the Middle East providing medical care for U.S and coalition forces in the region. The Sparta and Viroqua-based 107th Maintenance Company mobilized this spring for deployment to eastern Europe. Madison’s 176th Cyber Protection Team also remains mobilized to Fort Meade, Md. in support of U.S. Cyber Command and Cyber National Mission Force requirements.
