DOW Support to the Southern Border

An airman assigned to the 815th Airlift Squadron reunites with his family at Keesler Air Force Base, Miss., Sept. 5, 2026, after supporting airlift and mobility operations in the U.S. Africa Command area of responsibility.

Air Force Col. Richard Kind, 97th Air Mobility Wing commander, signs his name to the commemorative beam for the new elementary school opening at Altus Air Force Base, Okla., Sept. 2, 2026.

Zekariah, the youngest child of U.S. Army Command Sgt. Maj. Raymond M. Blas Jr., helps place his father's patrol cap on his head during Blas' lateral appointment ceremony at Panzer Kaserne in Kaiserslautern, Germany, Aug. 31, 2026. Blas, the Distribution Management Center sergeant major for the 21st Theater Sustainment Command, told his family they earned the milestone alongside him through their support and sacrifices. His next assignment will place him in a battalion-level leadership position responsible for more than 500 people.

Soldiers assigned to Joint Task Force Southern Border supporting Operation Ardent Vanguard attach a sling load to the hook below a CH-47 Chinook helicopter at Biggs Army Airfield, Fort Bliss, Texas, Aug. 26, 2026. Service members assigned to the task force provide unique military capabilities to protect the territorial integrity of the U.S. southern border.

Army Sgt. Benjamin Cordova and Spc. Daniel Gutierrez, both assigned to Joint Task Force Southern Border supporting Operation Ardent Vanguard, operate a C100X monitoring drone during low-light conditions near Eagle Pass, Texas, Aug. 20, 2026. The aerial monitoring supports efforts to detect, monitor and deter unlawful crossings into the United States.

Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Benjamin Gonzales, a motor vehicle operator assigned to Joint Task Force Southern Border in support of Operation Ardent Vanguard, helps install concertina wire on a secondary expeditionary barrier in Nogales, Ariz., Aug. 19, 2026.

Marines welcome a student to their first day of school during a back-to-school celebration at the Crossroads Elementary School on Marine Corps Base Quantico, Va., Aug. 17, 2026.

Army Spc. Domenic Hruby, assigned to Joint Task Force Southern Border, reinforces a barrier by welding "crow's feet" rods to its upper edge at a national defense area near Santa Teresa, N.M., Aug. 12, 2026. U.S. Northern Command is working with the Department of Homeland Security and the U.S. Customs and Border Protection to provide unique military capabilities to protect the territorial integrity of the U.S. southern border.

Sailors check for foreign objects on the flight deck of the littoral combat ship USS Cooperstown as the ship transits the Gulf of America, July 4, 2026. The ship was supporting efforts to protect the territorial integrity of the U.S. southern border.

A parent drops off their children for the first day of school at Ramstein Air Base, Germany, Aug. 17, 2026.

Soldiers assigned to Joint Task Force Southern Border place concertina wire on top of barriers at National Defense Area 2 near Fort Hancock, Texas, Aug. 6, 2026. The barrier reinforcement operation enhances detection and observation capabilities along the U.S. southern border.

Marines greet a child during the first day of school celebration at Marine Corps Base Hawaii, Aug. 5, 2026. The event welcomed students back to the classrooms, provided extra motivation and strengthened the bonds between Marines and the community.

Marines assigned to Joint Task Force Southern Border reinforce concertina wire along the southern barrier in Naco, Ariz., July 31, 2026. Barrier reinforcement operations ensure sustained protection and observation capabilities along the U.S. southern border.

Airmen embrace their families at Bangor Air National Guard Base, Maine, July 27, 2026, following a routine deployment in Europe.

Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class James Mackay, assigned to the dock landing ship USS Rushmore, reunites with a loved one in Sasebo, Japan, July 29, 2026, following a four-month deployment to the U.S. 5th and 7th Fleet areas of operation.

Army Sgt. Justin Masterson, left, and Spc. Vladimir Alves, assigned to Joint Task Force Southern Border, retrieve a Skydio X10D small unmanned aircraft system after an aerial observation in Rio Grande Valley, Texas, July 23, 2026. The unmanned system helps detect illegal crossings and enhances aerial monitoring capabilities to protect the territorial integrity of the U.S. southern border.

Mexican Border Defense Medals are displayed during a ceremony honoring soldiers assigned to the 4th Sustainment Command (Expeditionary) at Joint Base San Antonio, June 15, 2026. This image was cropped to emphasize the subject and adjusted for color and light.

Army Maj. Gen. Curtis Taylor, commander of 1st Armored Division and Joint Task Force Southern Border, observes a motion sensor array with soldiers and a U.S. Border Patrol agent near Fort Hancock, Texas, July 18, 2026. The sensor array detects suspected illegal entry into the Joint Operations Area and notifies Border Patrol agents.

Army Sgt. Mauri Sanchez and Staff Sgt. Chris Wright, assigned to Joint Task Force Southern Border, demonstrate the C-100 capabilities during an unmanned aerial observation in Del Rio, Texas, July 3, 2026. The unmanned aircraft system helps detect illegal crossings and enhance aerial monitoring capabilities.

A C-100 unmanned aircraft system hovers above the ground as a soldier assigned to Joint Task Force Southern Border demonstrates its capabilities in Del Rio, Texas, July 3, 2026,