MADISON, Wis. — Approximately 125 Wisconsin Army National Guard Soldiers will mobilize this fall as part of a current Department of Defense mission assisting the U.S. Department of Homeland Security along the southwest U.S. border.

The 229th Engineer Company from Prairie du Chien and Richland Center will conduct a short-notice federal mobilization assisting U.S. Customs & Border Protection with non-law enforcement activities for about one year.

“Providing support to the Department of Defense as a reserve of the United States Army and Air Force is one of our core missions,” said Maj Gen Paul Knapp, Wisconsin’s 31st adjutant general.  “The outstanding professionalism and preparedness of our troops enables the Wisconsin National Guard to rapidly respond for any mission, and I’m tremendously proud of their dedication.”

Wisconsin is one of 23 states that will continue a current federal mission ordered by the President along the southwest border into next year. All Wisconsin troops will mobilize in a Title 10 status, meaning they were ordered to federal active duty by the President and will operate under federal control with federal funding from the Department of Defense.

The Wisconsin National Guard continues to maintain a high operations tempo with nearly 500 troops mobilized for the state’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Meanwhile, dozens of Airmen from the Wisconsin Air National Guard continue worldwide mobilizations, and approximately 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 also mobilized this spring for deployment to eastern Europe. Madison’s 176th Cyber Protection Team also remains mobilized to Fort Meade, Maryland in support of U.S. Cyber Command and Cyber National Mission Force requirements.