Pfc. Guylaen O'Conner liked the T-shirt the Washington Army National Guard sent him.

"Yes sir, I liked the shirt and decided to join," O'Conner said as he dug at the roots of an invasive plant. "Besides, I think the Guard is a great organization, and I wanted to serve."

That service took the form of approximately 100 Guard Soldiers assigned to the Recruit Sustainment Battalion engaging in hard work last Saturday on the banks of the Puyallup River.

Working with Citizens for a Healthy Bay (CHB), the Soldiers moved mulch and tore out invasive plants in order to protect and facilitate growth on the Gog-Le-Hi-Te wetlands. The nine-acre area (a Puyallup Indian name for "where the land and waters meet) was once a landfill along the river.

"This area is part of the Port of Tacoma's mitigation project," said Jeanine Riss, a restoration manager with CHB, as she oversaw the work and took the time to educate some Soldiers on the benefit of their work. "Volunteers are invaluable in allowing us to do this work," she continued, "and I adore working with the Guard."

The community service project was part of a nationwide National Guard initiative known as "Guard the Environment." "Members of the Washington National Guard live and serve in communities all over the state," Maj. Gen. Timothy Lowenberg, the Adjutant General, wrote in a press release. "Fulfilling our civic duty to the environment enhances the quality of life for us all."

It also enhanced a sense of teamwork of the Soldiers working. While some used weeding tools to remove stubborn plants, the majority filled five-gallon buckets with mulch, then walked 60 yards to a cleared off area to dump and spread the mulch.

The military precision impressed Riss. "They are so organized and hard working," she said.

In a short time, a significant area on the wetlands looked very good. "This is a great day - I like the teamwork," Jesse Saxon, a high school junior, said as he hauled two buckets of mulch. "I came out this morning to work with these Soldiers, and I will definitely join the Guard when I finish school."

For more information about CHB, visit www.healthybay.org.  For more information about the Guard, visit www.washingtonguard.org.