[HiJinx]

3. A majority of the UAV flights are RDT&E efforts with specific objectives that cannot be recast to support the Border Patrol

All very good points, Poohbah, except that one. Almost every UAV flight here at Ft. Huachuca is a training mission. This is where we train Army UAV pilots. It wouldn't take a Secretarial or DoD decision to train along the border.

It would, however, take a high level decision to convert the missions to BP support. Part of my concern in my previous post is that all of these decisions were begging to be made at least 5 years ago and the Army support to BP could have been in place for at least 2 years if not longer.

In fact, to avoid the Waco debacle (military equipment and personnel in support of civilian law enforcement), 5 years is more than enough time for DoJ to purchase the hardware and train the operators so that the DoD is left out of the equation.

[Poohbah]

All very good points, Poohbah, except that one. Almost every UAV flight here at Ft. Huachuca is a training mission. This is where we train Army UAV pilots. It wouldn't take a Secretarial or DoD decision to train along the border.

No, it wouldn't; it would take a CONGRESSIONAL decision--refer to the Posse Comitatus Act.