VALLEY CITY, N.D. (KFGO) – Fifty members of the North Dakota National Guard’s 142nd Engineer Battalion are back home following a year-long deployment to the nation’s southern border in support of U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP). 

The unit returns to North Dakota after providing assistance to CBP operations aimed at stemming illegal immigration, drug smuggling and human trafficking.

“I cannot tell you the exact number as far as the number of drugs, the number of sex trafficking operations, or the exact number of illegal crossings that we prevented and stopped. But the number is significant,” said Lt. Col. Ryan Kaufman.

The unit’s deployment followed the deployments of the 957th Engineer Company, the 1-112th Aviation Regiment and the 817th Engineer Company to the southern border.

“The members of the 142nd Engineer Battalion have served with professionalism and dedication, helping combat illegal immigration, drug smuggling and human trafficking at our southern border,” said Sen. John Hoeven. “We are grateful for their service and proud to welcome them safely home to North Dakota. Border security is national security, and it’s vital that we do everything we can to protect our country.”

At a welcome home ceremony on Saturday, North Dakota National Guard Adjutant General, Brigadier General Mitchell R. Johnson, Command Sergeant Major Kendall Struxness, and Lt. Col. Ryan Kaufman, Commander of the 142nd Engineer Battalion in Valley City, addressed the audience and shared experience of their deployment.

Lt. Col. Kaufman says no soldiers had to use their assigned weapon on this deployment and everyone made it home safely. One soldier was attacked by an illegal immigrant.

“Thankfully that soldier was a high school wrestler and came out on the better end of that deal,” Kaufman told the audience. “And that was handled about as good as you could possibly hope for.”

He also says the Chaplain is okay after being hit by a car while on deployment.