Posted on 03/15/2005 4:53:47 PM PST by SandRat
U.S. military deploys to southern New Mexico border in support of Sector mission
Southern New Mexico ---Soldiers from the U.S. Army’s 4th Squadron, 14th Cavalry Regiment, based at Fort Wainwright, Alaska, are concluding a 60-day joint training mission in southern New Mexico that allowed them to train in rugged desert terrain and provide surveillance support for agents of Customs and Border Protection (CBP).
The 60-day training mission was conducted in the “boot heel” area of southern Luna and Hidalgo Counties of New Mexico. The joint effort with the military was part of an ongoing request by the CBP/Department Homeland Security, to provide surveillance support in a designated geographic area. The soldiers have provided surveillance and other support for law enforcement entities since the late 1980’s.
This latest support mission for the El Paso Sector of the U.S. Border Patrol was coordinated by Joint Task Force North (JTF North), based at Biggs Army Air Field, Fort Bliss, Texas. JTF North, an element of U.S. Northern Command, coordinates and manages military homeland security support provided to the nation’s federal law enforcement agencies for the interdiction of suspected transnational threats within and along the approaches to the Continental United States. U.S. Northern Command is the combatant command established in 2002 to provide command and control of Department of Defense (DOD) homeland defense efforts and to coordinate defense support to civil authorities.
Transnational threats are those activities conducted by individuals or groups that involve international terrorism, narcotics trafficking, weapons of mass destruction, and the delivery systems for such weapons that threatens the national security of the United States. Since its inception in 1989, JTF North, formerly known as Joint Task Force Six (JTF-6), has executed over 5,800 missions in direct support of the nation’s law enforcement agencies.
“The soldiers performing this mission are part of the U.S. Army’s recently established ‘Stryker’ brigade combat teams. They employ their state of the art surveillance equipment in an effort to assist the U.S Border Patrol in their mission to secure our borders,” said Brig. Gen Jose D. Riojas, JTF North commanding general.
The military units and personnel that volunteer to execute these vital homeland security missions gain tremendous training opportunities that are directly related to their wartime duties.
The unit conducts concurrent military training at Fort Bliss throughout their deployment. Elements of the units conduct movement between the Fort Bliss training areas and the surrounding border area where they will perform their surveillance support operations.
The military personnel who perform Homeland Security support missions within the Continental United States operate strictly in a support role to the Primary Federal Agency. Federal law prohibits the use of active duty and reserve military personnel in a direct law enforcement capacity.
The support mission that was executed in support of the El Paso Sector of the U.S. Border Patrol is only one example of the many types of homeland security operations that JTF North conducts throughout the nation. Other forms of support include: Aviation Support Operations, Air Surveillance Radar, Unmanned Aerial Vehicle, Ground Sensor Operations, Air and Ground Transportation, Road Construction, Perimeter Lighting, Fence Construction, Vehicle Barrier Construction, Training, and Intelligence Support.
JTF North routinely provides support to the El Paso Sector and the other U.S.
At last they're finally training to man the border and will be there for awhile.
Too little, too late...
Too little, too late...
Methinks this is just for show. As long as there is no wall/fence and the status quo is catch and release, makes no difference.
That being said, at least its a symbolic start.
Is that what you think the ANG is doing? I have just two words for you, posse comitatus.
Nope check the source link it's for real.
Go to the source link at the top of the story and then check the last link to the left on the source page that comes up.
Two possibilities. Either (1) its only for show to shift some of the heat this administration is getting for its lack of focus on immigration, or (2) its for real but dubbed a "training mission" to allow Vicente Fox to save face in domestic Mexican politics.
(2) above raises an interesting point. If the far-left Mexican party wins the next presidential election (PRD?), watch Bush change course and start putting troops on the border, and docmestic Mexican political opinion be d****d.
Unappeasable Alert!
I never suggested the article wasn't real. I am suggesting that you misunderstand the role of the military.
Retired US Army, Command and General Staff College Graduate, 2 Joint Command Tours, Europe and Korea assignments, Field Grade Commissioned officer. Come again?
"..60-day training mission.."
We need a lot more than a training mission.. and pronto, Close The Borders!
I'm snickering at the window though. That's when the M-13 and Aztlan crowd promised to do nasty things to the Minute Man Project starting on 1 April. and they'll be right nearby for back up if the hostiles try anything. Coincidence maybe? Only the DU tinfoilhats would flat out say conspiracy.
Your text from the way I read it inferred the a statement of military operations beyond the statements in the press release and the legal not constituional restrictions was being implied by the post.
There are also conditions under which the provisions of posse commitatus can be set aside for for a limited period of time before congress must approve either an extended period or for a specified AOI for a longer period (until order is returned to a sufficient degree to allow normal law enforcement to take over). Such actions took place during the Riots in Detroit when the States lawenforcement even with the Nat Guard couldn't contain it and the 101st Airborne was sent in to restore order.
The article that you cited took great pains to explain that the ANG's role was to support the U.S. Border Patrol.
Phrases describing the ANG's role such as:
...support provided to the nation’s federal law enforcement agencies...
...over 5,800 missions in direct support of the nation’s law enforcement agencies...
...employ their state of the art surveillance equipment in an effort to assist the U.S Border Patrol in their mission to secure our borders...
make it clear that the ANG is not training to secure U.S. boarders, but rather assisting the U.S. Boarder Patrol who has the authority to secure our boarders.
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