KHUBARI CROSSING, KUWAIT — What should have been a routine mission almost ended with an international incident for 1st Brigade, 34th Infantry Division, a National Guard unit from Minnesota. Deployed to Kuwait for the past ten months, the unit assisted in the drawdown of Iraq and has been in part of the Middle East Area Reaction Force, in order to help thwart the threats of countries like Iran. An infantry unit in 1/34th, the 2-135 Infantry, recently went out on an area patrol around Camp Buehring and Camp Virginia.

Staff Sgt. Jonathan Erikson, a squad leader in the unit, was in charge when the events took place.

“We were headed north from Camp Buehring, just doing a patrol of the routes trying to make sure everything was ok. We came up to a large compound which I now know is Khubari Crossing. Apparently the gate was closed for some reason. We didn’t realize that at the time and just kind of drove around it. I thought we were still in Kuwait. Next thing ya’ know we’re in Sadr City.”