WI Nat'l Guardsmen working in Baghdad

BAGHDAD - Earlier this year, more than 3,000 Wisconsin National Guard soldiers deployed to Iraq, in the largest Wisconsin Guard deployment since World War II. Nearly half of the guardsmen are working in facilities similar to a prison. One of those is Camp Cropper in Baghdad, where soldiers work with prisoners and Iraqi prison officers. Tuesday the military released video of the Camp Cropper, along with interviews from some Wisconsin soldiers working there.

In February, members of the 32nd Brigade, and those who love them, joined to say goodbye. Now many members of the 32nd are working at Camp Cropper in Baghdad.

"Well our operations here are to provide care custody and control through dignity and respect with all the detainees," said Staff Sergeant Jeremy Buenning. "It entails a lot and it's a very interesting job."

Those working at Camp Cropper include Buenning who is from Shawano and Specialist Justin Elkins from Danbury.

"This is my first tour and serving my country, there's actually no better responsibility or aspect behind it," said Elkins. "The mission at hand probably coulda been a little bit better but I enjoy it."

Prisoners include known terrorists, common criminals, and those waiting for trial. The job for members of the Wisconsin National Guard is to guard these people. Soldiers work 12 hour days, six days a week, often in extreme heat.

"It gets very hot. I think the hottest day that I've had since I've been here was like 130, 128. The temperature does increase very drastically. It's not so bad I work from 2am to 2pm, so in the morning hours it's normally around like 90, 98," said Elkins.

Wisconsin National Guard members will be working at Camp Cropper for the next seven months.

Camp Cropper is also home to a combat support hospital, which provides medical treatment for prisoners and service members.

The military says the National Guard soldiers also work with Iraqi correctional officers, preparing them to eventually take over Camp Cropper.