Illinois National Guard Troops Battle Boils in Old Shawneetown

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OLD SHAWNEETOWN, IL (05/05/2011)(readMedia)-- Illinois National Guard Soldiers navigate along the bottom of a levee, just 30 to 40 feet from its edge, near the small town of Old Shawneetown, meticulously scanning for potential weak points.

The Soldiers have, in the past several days, identified numerous hotspots or boils beyond the levee, allowing teams to fortify those areas using sandbags.

Small streams of air, released by mounting pressure from the river, push water through the saturated ground resulting in a bubbling that resembles a small fountain. This creates an eroding effect from within the levee, which, if left unchecked, can significantly weaken it.

Soldiers from 2nd Battalion, 130th Infantry Regiment (2nd Bn., 130th Inf. Regt.) in Marion, rotate twelve hour shifts, constantly monitoring the boils by walking up and down the levee and repairing troubled areas.

"We're walking an average of about 13 to 14 miles a day," said Staff Sgt. Sam R. Kinkelaar of Wheeler, a team leader on the ground.

Kinkelaar explained the local population usually maintains this area themselves, but rampant flooding and a voluntary evacuation have overwhelmed the small town.

"We're here to give them a break, that's our job," said Kinkelaar.

The Soldiers find a boil and then construct rings of sandbags around it to equalize the pressure, which helps to naturally close the holes the water creates, explained Sgt. David J. Goben of Naperville, with the 2nd Bn., 130th Inf. Regt.

"Mother Nature you can't really assess or predict and it's just one of those things we have to be ready to adapt to and be on ground for as long as necessary," said Goben.

These Soldiers said although they toss sandbags and walk more than 10 miles a day through what has become a marshland, they are here to do a mission and are happy to help.

photo 1) U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Charlie Helmholt, 139th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment/ Soldiers with 2nd Battalion, 130th Infantry Regiment in Marion examine a boil spot in Old Shawneetown May 4 assessing whether it needs repairs. Small streams of air, released by mounting pressure from the river, push water through the saturated ground resulting in a bubbling that resembles a small fountain. This creates an eroding effect from within the levee, which if left unchecked, can significantly weaken it.

photo 2) U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Charlie Helmholt, 139th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment/ Soldiers with 2nd Battalion, 130th Infantry Regiment in Marion examine a boil just inside the wood line and begin repairs near Old Shawneetown May 4. Small streams of air, released by mounting pressure from the river, push water through the saturated ground resulting in a bubbling that resembles a small fountain. This creates an eroding effect from within the levee, which if left unchecked, can significantly weaken it.

photo 3) U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Charlie Helmholt, 139th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment/ The town welcome sign for Old Shawneetown usually hangs free is now surrounded and partially submerged by flood water. Illinois National Guardsmen are currently helping with flood relief efforts in areas of southern Illinois affected by severe flooding.

Story by Sgt. Charlie Helmholt, 139th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment