Strykers get extra armor in Beaumont

Soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan will be safer because of work done at the Port of Beaumont.

The military hired hundreds of workers to put more armor on Stryker vehicles.

Strykers are used to transport soldiers and the vehicles are equipped with a number of weapons.  The military says the extra armor put on in Beaumont will help safeguard the vehicles from weapons like improvised explosive devices and missiles.

Today the vehicles were loaded onto a ship at the Port of Beaumont, ready for a trip thousands of miles away.

The Army is loading up Strykers and getting ready for a mission.

Dozens of soldiers are driving hundreds of Stryker vehicles onto a ship at the Port of Beaumont, preparing for a trip overseas.

"You have an Army, a military that's dedicated to going anywhere in the world, to protect the interest of the United States," said Major Eric Duckworth.

Major Duckworth is one of four thousand soldiers who'll be manning the Strykers in Iraq.

The 8 wheeled Stryker is the military's next generation, medium weight armored vehicle.

"Knowing this added protection is on it and the good works are going to give us a lot of confidence," said Major Duckworth.

The Strykers have been in Beaumont for the past month.  Hundreds of contract workers upgraded the vehicles with armor plating to better protect our soldiers overseas.

The additional armor was added to the strykers to protect American Soldiers from improvised explosive devices and missiles. Those weapons have killed and injured Americans in Iraq and Afghanistan.

"It's designed to give the best protection possible to our American soldiers, which is our number one valuable asset," Major Duckworth.

Protection with the goal of allowing soldiers like Major Duckworth to return home safely to their families. He's leaving behind his wife and 18 month old son for his second mission overseas.

"We're a close knit family, high morale, very enthusiastic to support the mission," said Major Duckworth.

Major Duckworth says the support from Southeast Texans is something he'll never forget.

"Seriously, almost every day we're out on the street someone comes up to us and thanks us for our service, and it's very touching and very rewarding, and I can't thank the City of Beaumont enough," said Major Duckworth.

A memory Major Duckworth will take with him when he leaves for Iraq and patrols in a vehicle made safer because of work done at the Port of Beaumont.

The ship will leave before the end of the week and head overseas.