BOSSIER CITY, La. (AP) — A unit of Louisiana National Guardsmen is at the heart of one of the most successful components of the surge strategy in Iraq: Building blast walls.
Since March, the Bossier City-based 165th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion has been moving concrete barriers into place throughout Baghdad. The barriers run through the city to stop attacks in neighborhoods.
Lt. Col. Randall Bradford, the unit’s commanding officer, says the walls protect soldiers from attacks and also cut off exit routes for insurgents.
The Louisiana National Guard says the battalion has moved more than 20,000 barriers, or more than 200 million pounds of concrete.
Now that Baghdad has become more peaceful, some blast walls are coming down. Murals have been painted on many to bring color to drab neighborhoods.
Sgt. 1st Class Melanie Rowton says the unit may return from Iraq in a few months.
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