DOD Support to the Southern Border

Illinois Air National Guardsmen assigned to the 126th Air Refueling Wing put up tents during an organizationwide training exercise at Scott Air Force Base, Ill., Aug. 2, 2025. The exercise was designed to familiarize guardsmen with deployment-specific skillsets.

Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class Laura Perez, center, a field medical service technician assigned to Joint Task Force Southern Border, aids Marine Corps Air Station Yuma Fire Department personnel during training in Yuma, Ariz., July 29, 2025.

Army Sgt. 1st Class James Heroux, assigned to Joint Task Force Southern Border, drives an M1301 infantry squad vehicle across rugged terrain near Otay Mountain in Sand Diego County, Calif., July 31, 2025.

An Army UH-60M Black Hawk helicopter assigned to Joint Task Force Southern Border delivers a supplies container to Army Maj. David Rodgers, left, and Spc. Ryen Dean, also assigned to the border task force, near Otay Mountain in San Diego County, Calif., July 31, 2025. Sling-load air operations provide logistics support to soldiers operating in terrain difficult to reach by ground.

An Army CH-47 Chinook helicopter assigned to Joint Task Force Southern Border delivers an M1301 infantry squad vehicle to Army 1st Lt. Amanda Santos and Sgt. Abram Nute, also assigned to the border task force, near Otay Mountain in San Diego County, Calif., July 31, 2025.

An Army CH-47 Chinook helicopter assigned to Joint Task Force Southern Border carries an M1301 infantry squad vehicle near Otay Mountain in San Diego County, Calif., July 31, 2025. The transport enabled rapid mobility for soldiers navigating rugged terrain along the border.

From left, Marine Corps Cpl. Israel Garcia, Lance Cpl. Clowen Jones and Cpl. Joseph Halland, all assigned to Joint Task Force Southern Border, weld a prefabricated bracket to the border barrier for additional concertina wire in Yuma, Ariz., July 29, 2025.

Marines assigned to Joint Task Force Southern Border place concertina wire on the border wall in Yuma, Ariz., July 29, 2025.

Marines assigned to Joint Task Force Southern Border place concertina wire on prefabricated brackets to reinforce the border barrier in Yuma, Ariz., July 29, 2025.

Marines assigned to Joint Task Force Southern Border place concertina wire on prefabricated brackets to reinforce the border barrier in Yuma, Ariz., July 29, 2025.

Marine Corps Cpl. Jacob Shonk, assigned to Joint Task Force Southern Border, ties concertina wire together before placing it on the border barrier in Yuma, Ariz., July 29, 2025.

Marine Corps Sgts. Chandler Snow and Casey Bennett use an M240B machine gun during Service Level Training Exercise 4-25 at Marine Corps Air-Ground Combat Center Twentynine Palms, Calif., July 31, 2025. The exercise was designed to provide a challenging, realistic training environment to produce combat-ready forces capable of operating as an integrated Marine air-ground task force across all domains of military operations.

Soldiers signal an area with smoke for engineers to breach during a live-fire training exercise as part of Agile Spirit at Vaziani Training Area, Georgia, Aug. 3, 2025. The exercise is designed to strengthen regional security cooperation, build military capacity, integrate innovations and foster interoperability in NATO and with participating partners.

Navy Seaman Elizabeth Furlan fires a Mark 38 crew-served weapon system aboard the USS America during a live-fire exercise in the Philippine Sea, Aug. 5, 2025.

From left, Army Sgt.1st Class Andrew Hernandez, Cpl. Ethan Regis and 1st Sgt. Reuben Gaeta, all assigned to Joint Task Force Southern Border, call in an evacuation during casualty training in Presidio, Texas, July 26, 2025. The training allowed Marines, sailors and soldiers to further develop the skills to provide lifesaving care and transport.

Marines and sailors assigned to Joint Task Force Southern Border offload a simulated casualty from an Army UH-60 Black Hawk during training in Yuma, Ariz., July 26, 2025. The training allowed Marines, sailors and soldiers to further develop the necessary skills to provide lifesaving casualty care and transport.

Army Col. Lillian Woodington, commander of the 89th Military Police Brigade and assigned to Joint Task Force Southern Border, speaks during an operation-planning briefing near Chula Vista, Calif., July 29, 2025. The briefing is an opportunity for all participating elements to coordinate on upcoming border operations.

Border Patrol Special Operations Supervisor Jazmine Castillo, left, an acting liaison to Defense Department forces at U.S. Customs and Border Protection's San Diego Border Patrol Sector Headquarters, poses a question to Army forces about upcoming joint operations near Chula Vista, Calif., July 29, 2025. Partnership and presence at battalion- and brigade-level planning sessions help foster understanding on areas of improvement and the importance of border security.

U.S. Air Force pararescuemen climb up a ladder to a Colombian Aerospace Force UH-1 Huey during Relámpago de los Andes in Coveñas, Colombia, July 30, 2025. The Colombian-led exercise brings together airpower, expertise and shared values to enhance security and interoperability in the U.S. Southern Command area of responsibility.

Marine Corps Cpl. Manuel Cruz, left, and Sgt. Aaron White, both assigned to Joint Task Force Southern Border, hike to place National Defense Area signs near the border barrier in Yuma, Ariz., July 31, 2025.