Governor Jim Pillen announced Monday that he is deploying more than 60 Nebraska Army National Guard soldiers to the Texas border in support of Operation Lone Star. The group will depart on Wednesday and return home in early September.
The soldiers will be providing additional observation and reporting near the border, which will assist agencies that are conducting security and law enforcement efforts. “This mission is critical to the security of Nebraska as well as other states,” Pillen says. “We need to maintain the safety of our citizenry and stem the ongoing influx of illegal drugs, weapons and criminals into our borders.”
Nebraska’s participation in Operation Lone Star is the result of a request from emergency management officials in Texas. Federal funds, directed through the Nebraska National Guard, will cover costs associated with this deployment.
The soldiers are currently undergoing administrative and medical processing before deploying to the border. Back in May Pillen sent 10 state troopers to Texas from the Nebraska State Patrol. They assisted with drone surveillance operations for two weeks.
“The Nebraska National Guard is always ready to respond when our fellow Americans are in need of assistance, whether the emergency is here within our state, within our nation’s borders or overseas,” said Adjutant General Craig W. Strong. “I am confident that our men and women will make a positive impact serving in support of Operation Lone Star.”