Oh, as a military officer I was activiely involved in border problems...the Coast Guard being the only military service with the legal authority and training to be involved with it.
I even had planning experience with our so-called allies on the other side of the border...the northern border where the greatest terrorist entrance threat exists. But you all have fun any way.
We will, I promise. It's not like we have a lot of choice.
Cochise County, where Spiff and I live, has only 120,000 residents. Last year the Border Patrol caught just over 180,000 illegal aliens here. They figure they caught maybe one in five. So something in the vicinity of 700,000 made it through here scot free.
Us locals did not get off scot free.
Home invasions, car-jackings, muggings, etc.
Our national park lands are now controlled by Mexican smugglers of drugs and humans.
The Mexican military is here on the border -- but they actively assist the smugglers. Very actively, as in laying down suppressive fire against our Border Patrol and local law enforcement to aid smugglers in their escapes.
Do we need tanks and artillery here? Not really, though it would give me a big woodie to call in the fire missions.
What we do need is the support troops:
UAVs and operators to fill in the gaps in the line.
Intel analysts to identify all the avenues of approach.
Linguists to bust up their communications.
MPs to handle detainees.
Clerks to process all the officially blessed paperwork.
Mechanics to keep the Border Patrol's vehicles functional.
Fort Huachuca, just eight miles north of the border, could provide all these resources. Think of it as a live environment training exercise with no need for any simulations. The troops would eat this sh!t up with a big silver spoon and beg for more.
Oh, while I'm at it, that little slur about military "commanders" won't cut it here. A very large slice of the population is retired Army -- from NCOs to general officers -- and our patience has disappeared.