Along the U.S.-Mexico border in Arizona, Col. Hugh Jones commands a brigade of soldiers guarding the border wall — stretching across 1,044 miles of rugged terrain.
It’s part of President Trump’s plan to further increase U.S. military presence at the U.S.-Mexico border. In April, Mr. Trump authorized the military to take control of a strip of public land along the southern border.
“Because we can’t brute force the border or just occupy by force, we try to drive that in the smartest way we can, using a lot of the capabilities we would use in warfare,” Jones told CBS News.
It’s unclear how long soldiers will be deployed to the border, and Mr. Trump has not set a timeframe for the deployment.
Along the border, Chinook helicopters lifted in heavy equipment while thousands of deployed active-duty troops were sent to reinforce the border.
Maj. Gen. Scott Naumann commands American forces on the border and the Army’s 10th Mountain Division, known for its quick-reaction capabilities.
“Basically, I synchronize all different capabilities and resources to overpower an enemy,” Naumann told CBS News. “What I’m doing here is really no different. … We’re not firing lethal weapons, but we’re solving a problem.”
These combat units are sealing the border with barbed wire, strategic patrols and surveillance — in the air and on the ground — where Army Sgt. Ana Harker and Specialist Austin Waters keep close and constant watch.
Harker said they’re tasked with keeping an eye on the border, and whenever they see somebody cross by, they contact Border Patrol.
In the past three months, they’ve seen just four people, Harker said.
They see “a lot of animals,” Waters said.
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