La. Guard Engineers complete Texas border support mission

By Staff Sgt. Noshoba Davis, Louisiana National Guard Public Affairs Office

PINEVILLE, La. – Approximately 13 engineers from the Louisiana National Guard’s 528th Engineer Battalion, 225th Engineer Brigade, have completed a four-month rotation in support of Operation Lone Star. The mission aimed to reduce illegal border crossings along portions of the Texas border.

The LANG completed its initial border mission in June 2024, spending $2.2 million of the $3 million allocated. Following that effort, the State of Texas requested additional engineer support to utilize the remaining $800,000 in approved funding.

Over the past eight months, Louisiana has joined several other states in assisting Texas at the border in coordination with Task Force Eagle Tactical Support Company.

Maj. Thomas Mushenski, officer-in-charge of the 528th’s Soldiers, and Staff Sgt. Tamekia Knowles, noncommissioned officer-in-charge, emphasized how missions like this build partnerships and provide valuable hands-on experience for Soldiers.

“Soldiers learned that, as engineers, no job is ever the same,” said Mushenski. “It is important to improvise, adapt and overcome whatever mission we are presented with.”

“Being a part of any mission fosters a strong sense of unity within a military unit, enhancing cooperation and trust among members,” said Knowles. “Our Soldiers gained hands-on training with heavy equipment and worked alongside different units and organizations.”

Since June, LANG engineers have completed over 30,000 feet of various types of anti-climb barrier construction, inspected miles of existing barriers and repaired numerous breaches along the border.