DOW Support to the Southern Border

Marine Corps Cpl. Midley Devariste, assigned to Joint Task Force Southern Border, uses an angle grinder to cut brackets during barrier reinforcement operations in Naco, Ariz., June 1, 2026.

A UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter conducts sling load operations near El Centro, Calif., March 3, 2026. The sling load operations were required to move materials from the mountainous areas along the southern border after 11,700 miles of concertina wire were built.

Marine Corps Lance Cpls. Samuel Sosa, left, and Sebastian Robles, assigned to Joint Task Force Southern Border, operate a boom lift to replace concertina wire during barrier reinforcement operations in Nogales, Ariz., May 15, 2026. U.S. Northern Command is working side-by-side 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.

Marine Corps Lance Cpls. Allen Tomb, left, and Dylan Lindsey, assigned to Joint Task Force Southern Border, weld prefabricated brackets onto the southern barrier during reinforcement operations in Naco, Ariz., May 20, 2026. U.S. Northern Command is working side-by-side 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.

Marines assigned to Joint Task Force Southern Border extend concertina wire for barrier reinforcement operations in Naco, Ariz., May 20, 2026. U.S. Northern Command is working side-by-side 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.

Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Luke Smith, assigned to Joint Task Force Southern Border, provides security along the southern barrier as part of barrier reinforcement operations in Nogales, Ariz., May 15, 2026. U.S. Northern Command is working side-by-side 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.

Marines assigned to Joint Task Force Southern Border stand in a line to board a UH-60 Black Hawk during a simulated casualty evacuation exercise near San Ysidro, Calif., May 20, 2026. U.S. Northern Command is working side-by-side with the Department of Homeland Security and U.S. Customs and Border Protection within narrowly defined authorities to provide unique military capabilities to protect the territorial integrity of the U.S. southern border.

Marine Corps Lance Cpls. Rey Gonzalez, left, and Terence Hall, assigned to Joint Task Force Southern Border, patrol along the U.S.-Mexico border near El Centro, Calif., May 21, 2026. U.S. Northern Command is working side-by-side with the Department of Homeland Security and the U.S. Customs and Border Protection within narrowly defined authorities to provide unique military capabilities to protect the territorial integrity of the U.S. southern border.

Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Carter Gil, assigned to Joint Task Force Southern Border, launches a Skydio X10 small unmanned aerial system to maintain situational awareness along the U.S.-Mexico border near El Centro, Calif., May 21, 2026.

Alliyah Collier, one of hundreds of future service members, stands in formation for the oath of enlistment administered by Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Kenneth S. Wilsbach at the Hyundai Air and Sea Show in Miami, May 23, 2026. More than 300 recruits took the oath to join the military.

Soldiers maneuver through trenches during Ivy Mass at Piñon Canyon Maneuver Site in Colorado, May 17, 2026. The exercise demonstrated combat readiness by synchronizing fires and maneuver while executing the fundamentals of shoot, move and communicate in a realistic training environment.

Air Force pararescuemen assigned to the 82nd Expeditionary Rescue Squadron conduct high-altitude low-opening parachute jumps from a C-130 Hercules near Camp Lemonnier, Djibouti, Feb. 13, 2025. The technique minimizes risk to supplies, equipment or personnel as they are air-dropped from high altitudes over enemy airspace.

Air Force pararescuemen assigned to the 82nd Expeditionary Rescue Squadron conduct high-altitude low-opening parachute jumps from a C-130 Hercules near Camp Lemonnier, Djibouti, Feb. 13, 2025. The technique minimizes risk to supplies, equipment or personnel as they are air-dropped from high altitudes over enemy airspace.

A Space Force military training instructor salutes during a graduation ceremony at Joint Base San Antonio, Dec. 18, 2025. Guardians wore the new Space Force service dress uniform for the first time at the graduation, reflecting the service's distinct identity and shared training with the Air Force.

A Marine engages a simulated target while conducting close-quarters tactics training in Holly Springs, Miss., April 17, 2026.

Army Spc. Kincaide Bunfill, assigned to Joint Task Force Southern Border, uses binoculars to monitor the barrier near Bisbee, Ariz., as part of Operation Strike Kraken, May 7, 2026. Monitoring cartel scout sites, maintaining a ready posture to defeat enemy drones and ensuring shared communications with U.S. Customs and Border Protection are the operation's key tasks.

Army Lt. Col. Brandon Davisson gives the oath of enlistment to 1st Sgt. Fred Ulshafer, Sgt. Zach Rech and Spc. Tayvone Williams during a reenlistment ceremony at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Ky., May 2, 2026, before the 152nd running of the Kentucky Derby.

Marines assigned to Joint Task Force Southern Border install triple-strand concertina wire using boom lifts during barrier reinforcement operations in Douglas, Ariz., April 17, 2026. U.S. Northern Command is working with the Department of Homeland Security and the U.S. Customs and Border Protection within narrowly defined authorities to provide unique military capabilities to protect the territorial integrity of the U.S. southern border.

Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Avery Lindberg, left, and Cpl. Sergio Garcia, both combat engineers assigned to Joint Task Force Southern Border, position triple-strand concertina wire from a boom lift during barrier reinforcement operations in Douglas, Ariz., April 17, 2026.

Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Christian Koch, a combat engineer assigned to Joint Task Force Southern Border, uses a tie gun to secure triple-strand concertina wire during barrier reinforcement operations in Douglas, Ariz., Friday, April 17, 2026.