WEBVTT 00:02.059 --> 00:04.115 The southern border stretches almost 00:04.115 --> 00:06.480 2000 miles and is protected by US 00:06.480 --> 00:08.702 Customs and Border Protection CBP , who 00:08.702 --> 00:10.989 facilitate trade , travel , and secure 00:10.989 --> 00:13.322 America's borders from external threats . 00:13.322 --> 00:15.433 According to top military officials , 00:15.433 --> 00:17.211 the Department of Defense's top 00:17.211 --> 00:19.100 priority is to safeguard the . By 00:19.100 --> 00:20.767 working hand in hand with the 00:20.767 --> 00:22.656 Department of Homeland Security , 00:22.656 --> 00:24.767 mainly CBP , Brigadier General Jeremy 00:24.767 --> 00:26.600 Winters is the deputy commanding 00:26.600 --> 00:28.545 general for maneuver of Joint Task 00:28.545 --> 00:30.767 Force southern border . He says , So in 00:30.767 --> 00:32.433 response to President Trump's 00:32.433 --> 00:35.220 declaration of emergency . And then 00:35.220 --> 00:37.979 ordering troops to the border , these 00:37.979 --> 00:39.979 soldiers who are part of Joint Task 00:39.979 --> 00:42.146 Force Southern Border have joined with 00:42.146 --> 00:45.459 Border Patrol to stretch across 1,954 00:45.459 --> 00:48.659 miles of the American border to form an 00:48.659 --> 00:50.700 inseparable bond between DOD and 00:50.700 --> 00:53.029 Homeland Security professionals . To 00:53.029 --> 00:55.251 secure the territorial integrity of the 00:55.251 --> 00:57.473 United States , Blaine Bennett , deputy 00:57.473 --> 00:59.473 commander with the US Border Patrol 00:59.473 --> 01:01.696 Joint Task Force Southern Border , says 01:01.696 --> 01:03.640 he's never seen military forces as 01:03.640 --> 01:05.751 integrated in the mission as they are 01:05.751 --> 01:07.862 now . You know , in my almost 20 year 01:07.862 --> 01:07.550 career at the Border Patrol , I've seen 01:07.550 --> 01:09.717 DOD come on the border and support the 01:09.717 --> 01:11.661 border patrol mission , the border 01:11.661 --> 01:13.606 security mission . Um , in various 01:13.606 --> 01:15.717 forms throughout the years I've never 01:15.717 --> 01:17.772 seen it at this level , at , at this 01:17.772 --> 01:19.939 scope . According to Winters , illegal 01:19.939 --> 01:21.828 crossings have decreased by 95% . 01:21.828 --> 01:23.939 However , tasking's mandate that 100% 01:23.939 --> 01:26.106 operational control must be achieved . 01:26.106 --> 01:28.328 The task force integrates units such as 01:28.328 --> 01:30.383 Second Striker Brigade combat Team , 01:30.383 --> 01:32.606 Fourth Infantry Division , seen here at 01:32.606 --> 01:34.883 the southern border barrier in the new . 01:34.883 --> 01:37.106 National Defense area . This collective 01:37.106 --> 01:38.939 effort supports CBP by enhancing 01:38.939 --> 01:40.939 detection and monitoring operations 01:40.939 --> 01:42.994 along high risk border sectors . You 01:42.994 --> 01:44.939 look at the safety of not just the 01:44.939 --> 01:44.803 country as a whole , but the border 01:44.803 --> 01:47.242 communities with more presence , the 01:47.242 --> 01:49.075 DOD brings to the borders , more 01:49.075 --> 01:51.186 borders are able to get out there and 01:51.186 --> 01:53.242 actually do law enforcement duties , 01:53.242 --> 01:55.353 which helps to increase the safety of 01:55.353 --> 01:55.282 the communities right between us and . 01:55.435 --> 01:57.435 Our relationship with our local law 01:57.435 --> 01:59.546 enforcement partners , with our other 01:59.546 --> 02:01.657 federal partners , it allows more law 02:01.657 --> 02:03.879 enforcement to be out there making sure 02:03.879 --> 02:05.879 the communities are safe . During a 02:05.879 --> 02:07.991 media engagement event , we had an up 02:07.991 --> 02:10.213 close look at a striker carrier vehicle 02:10.213 --> 02:12.213 used to secure the national defense 02:12.213 --> 02:14.546 area and manned by two US Army soldiers . 02:14.546 --> 02:16.768 How has it been working with the border 02:16.768 --> 02:18.768 patrol ? What's that ? They've been 02:18.768 --> 02:20.713 really good at integrating what we 02:20.713 --> 02:22.800 already know , so like they've said 02:22.800 --> 02:24.800 specifically like the strikers have 02:24.800 --> 02:26.744 been really helpful . Bennett says 02:26.744 --> 02:28.744 collaborations can be seen at every 02:28.744 --> 02:30.800 echelon . It's a good teamwork . You 02:30.800 --> 02:32.967 can see it from sector to sector , the 02:32.967 --> 02:34.800 relationship between . Battalion 02:34.800 --> 02:36.856 commander , the sector command staff 02:36.856 --> 02:36.580 between the company commanders , the 02:36.580 --> 02:38.747 sector , uh , the station patrol agent 02:38.747 --> 02:40.913 in charges , you see that relationship 02:40.913 --> 02:43.136 all the way down and it really , really 02:43.136 --> 02:45.302 helps this mission and for DOD and DHS 02:45.302 --> 02:45.179 to be really effective in what we're 02:45.179 --> 02:48.220 trying to do . This is the ultimate 02:48.220 --> 02:50.020 mission , the protection of our 02:50.020 --> 02:53.539 homeland . And everybody , and I'm sure 02:53.539 --> 02:55.910 you'll see it in and around Fort Bliss . 02:55.979 --> 02:58.539 The young soldiers and some of our 02:58.539 --> 03:00.710 Marines are around here also . The 03:00.710 --> 03:03.169 pride that they wear their uniform with , 03:03.199 --> 03:05.255 the pride that they carry themselves 03:05.255 --> 03:08.699 with , um , we're thankful for the 03:08.699 --> 03:10.643 opportunity to do this , and we're 03:10.643 --> 03:12.921 really building generational readiness . 03:12.921 --> 03:15.143 Winters has a special message , and I'd 03:15.143 --> 03:16.810 like to speak directly to the 03:16.810 --> 03:19.470 leadership . The soldiers and the 03:19.470 --> 03:21.637 families and all the support personnel 03:21.637 --> 03:24.070 at Fort Bliss , we would not be able to 03:24.070 --> 03:26.181 do what we are doing if it wasn't for 03:26.181 --> 03:28.348 the partnership with Team Fort Bliss . 03:28.348 --> 03:30.403 We are operating Fort Bliss as a hub 03:30.789 --> 03:33.270 for , I mean , 1954 miles . That's San 03:33.270 --> 03:36.884 Diego . To the eastern tip of Texas , 03:37.335 --> 03:40.815 and Fort Bliss is a huge supporter of 03:40.815 --> 03:42.871 what we're doing . So I just want to 03:42.871 --> 03:45.093 say on behalf of Major General Nauman , 03:45.093 --> 03:47.204 our commanding general , thank you to 03:47.204 --> 03:46.815 the Fort Bliss community for all of 03:46.815 --> 03:49.175 your support . Krista Mack , Fort Bliss 03:49.175 --> 03:50.455 Garrison public affairs .