[ARealMothersSonForever]

The reason for my "discouragement" of the MM project was that it subjected participants to unreasonable liability and risk. This work being performed by the NG is much more than observation and calling the BP on a cellphone. The smugglers and coyotes are very organized, structured, and backed by the Mexican government, police, and military. While I support the premise of the MM project, and laud the resulting NG deployment; the grief and risk to participants and their families is staggering. The retaliatory actions against those fine citizens and their families are not published in the MSM. The National Guard deployments are the correct approach. Even if it is costing $118k per man per year. Consider it training funds well spent. Inside the USA.

[axes_of_weezles]

"They aren't allowed to apprehend illegal entrants or leave their post. Their mission is to be extra eyes and ears for the Border Patrol."

While there are some Civil Engineers and admin clerks; the troopers are just standing watch on the border with guns and radios.

What retaliatory actions are you speaking of? The NG? They NG get to hang on the border instead of going to CENTCOM's AOR and stay at decent hotels.

Anyone with vision and a voice could do what the guys listed in the article are doing, and it could be contracted out locally for less than $118k per person per year. The NG Airmen are aircraft mechanics. They were given a choice of rotating to Iraq or Afghanistan or some other non-booze drinking country or coming to Arizona for 6 months. Which choice would you make?

Philisophically the Border Patrol and DHS should be funding and operating these operations, and not taken out of the hide of DoD. At a certain point there is no " training" advantage to being border observers for aircraft maintainers.