Approximately 50 South Dakota Army National Guard soldiers are being sent to California as part of a year-long, (Title 10) federal deployment at the United States border with Mexico.
The 109th Engineer Battalion mobilized last week (Oct. 16, 2024). They will be stationed in southern California in support of Southwest Border operations and ‘Operation International Drug Trafficking.’
The 109th is an engineer headquarters that provides command and control, logistics, finance and personnel support functions for subordinate units. They will be supporting Customs and Border Patrol agents, while also providing direct support for two subordinate companies from Texas and Michigan.
“You’re going to go down and you’re going to do a great job. This is a challenging mission, but you are doing this to protect the homeland and to protect each other,” said Brig. Gen. David Dailey, SDNG Assistant Adjutant General- Army. “There has never been a South Dakota unit that has failed in their mission, we expect great things out of you, and I wish you the best of luck!” said Dailey.
The unit the 109th is replacing will provide information about the local area, as well as going over processes and procedures with the soldiers before the 109th fully takes over the mission.
“If you go back to the lineage of the 109th battalion this isn’t the first trip to the Mexican Border. In 1916 the 109th was put on federal activation to the border so here we are 108 years later we are going back to the border to do our job and serve our nation,” said Lt. Col. Roselles, 109th commander.
The 109th was one of the first SDNG units deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom in January 2003.
The South Dakota Army
National Guard mobilized approximately 50 Soldiers
from the 109th Engineer Battalion, of Rapid City, as
part of a year-long Title 10 federal deployment on
Oct. 16, 2024. The citizen-warriors and their families
came together in a non-formal activation gathering to
spend more time together and to establish more
close-knit bonds as they prepared to depart. (Army
National Guard photo by Staff Sgt. Breanne
Donnell)
The South Dakota Army National
Guard 109th Engineer Battalion’s flag.
Courtesy photo.
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