NOGALES, AZ — Approximately 400 Marines are working along the southern border in the Tucson sector, adding brackets and two types of wire to the border wall as part of an infrastructure improvement and barrier reinforcement mission.
Company Commander Kyle Harrison showed me the work underway in southern Arizona, where groups are operating in states bordering Mexico.
"Our purpose down here, ma'am, is primarily going to be infrastructure improvement and barrier reinforcement. So, general engineering is what we're doing," Harrison said.
The reinforcement work includes welding brackets onto the barrier and laying barbed wire along the wall.
"Marines, the furthest on the right, on that lift on the right, they're actually welding the brackets onto the baller. It's onto the barrier to the left. The next lift is going to be a group of Marines that are laying out the barbed wire," Harrison said.
In two and a half months, the unit has put up wire across 25 miles of the wall in the Tucson sector, including in Douglas and Nogales.
"The purpose of laying the wire is just to reinforce the preexisting barrier, preexisting infrastructure," Harrison said.
For most of the service members, this is their first time doing this kind of work. Harrison said the majority have been learning on the job.
"So the vast majority of these Marines have been receiving training on the job. Once they got here on site, they've been picking up the training and experience here," Harrison said.
Part of that training includes obtaining the proper licenses to operate aerial lifts, which are civilian-contracted equipment.
"So seeing as how it's civilian contracted equipment, they did have to receive instruction and licensing and certification in order to run and operate them," Harrison said.
With temperatures on the rise, units are also taking precautions to stay cool, including having medical personnel available on site.
"Hydration obviously on the front side, ma'am. Before anybody leaves the border patrol station on their way to the barrier, make sure that we have plenty of water, plenty of food, and then plenty of ice to keep everyone cool," Harrison said.
Harrison said the unit will continue working along the border until every mile of the Tucson sector is complete.
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