Attached please find the most recent DoD Update from the Department of Defense Office of Public Affairs.

Following are highlights of a joint press conference today on U.S. border security with Secretary of Homeland Security Michael Chertoff, Chief of the U.S. Border Patrol David Aguilar, Assistant Secretary of Defense for Homeland Security Paul McHale, Army Lt. Gen. H Steven Blum and Assistant Secretary of Homeland Security, U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement Julie Myers.

• President Bush addressed the nation on May 15 about the need for
  comprehensive immigration reform. Part of the president's plan focuses on securing our nation's border. To help with this, the president proposed deploying up to 6,000 National Guard forces along the southwest border.
• The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is the lead agency for
  maintaining the integrity our country's international borders. Guard forces will be in support of DHS. They will be an important, but temporary, bridge to improve civilian security capabilities. The support Guard forces provide to the Border Patrol will be a tremendous force multiplier.
• Guard forces will be under the control of the governor in whose
  state they are operating.
• The initial commitment will be for up to 6,000 military forces
  on a rotational basis for a period of up to 12 months. Military support won't exceed 3,000 personnel during a possible second year of deployment. The process is expected to begin in June.
• Law enforcement along the border will remain a civilian
  function. DoD will not play a role in the direct apprehension, custodial care or security of those detained by civilian law enforcement.
• Missions will include surveillance and reconnaissance,
  engineering support, transportation support, logistics support, medical support, linguistics support, and barrier and infrastructure construction and road building.
• The missions will be directly related to military skills
  National Guard soldiers and airmen use in warfighting and disaster response, and will be similar to the annual training missions executed as part of the counter-drug program along the border for the past 20 years. The difference is a greater force size and more resources.
• The citizen-soldiers of the National Guard are trained, ready
  and able to execute this mission. It will not come at the expense of progress in the war on terror, or take away from the Guard's ability to respond to natural disasters. The Guard has more troops available, more equipment and more experience this year than last year. To the extent possible, troops will come from the four states along the border.
• Guard forces already have to do their annual training where they
  focus on their military specialty. Now, instead of performing annual training to practice skills in the wilderness, forces will be put in operational use on the border.
• While the medic or bulldozer operator may change out every few
  weeks, the leadership will be in place for duration of the operation, in order to provide the needed continuity.
• DoD will seek reimbursement for costs from the appropriate
  agency partner.