Photo By Pfc. Sean Hoch | U.S. Army Pfc. Oji Gayle assigned to Charlie Company, 1st Battalion, 41st Infantry...... read more read more
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RIO GRANDE CITY, Texas – As part of a growing partnership between the Department of Defense and U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), U.S. Soldiers with Charlie Company, 1st Battalion, 41st Infantry Regiment, 2nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division have started operations in Rio Grande City.
U.S. Soldiers commanded by Joint Task Force-Southern Border support U.S. Border Patrol agents in identifying illegal crossings, allowing for CBP to conduct law enforcement activities. The Rio Grande River has particularly dense and difficult terrain. This move brings Stryker armored vehicles with advanced detection and monitoring capabilities to one of the southern border’s most challenging sectors.
“Integration of U.S. service members within border security has had a tremendous effect,” said Rogelio Ortiz Jr., an acting Special Operations Supervisor at the Rio Grande City Border Patrol Station. “It’s increasing our domain awareness and helping us detect, monitor and address threats along the U.S.-Mexico border.”
Ortiz, a 16-year veteran of U.S. Border Patrol with over five years in supervisory roles, emphasized the unique terrain challenges in the Rio Grande City area. Much of the 60-mile stretch of border is privately owned and covered in thick vegetation, with no lateral access roads, limiting agent mobility and visibility.
“This area has unmatched counter-surveillance,” Ortiz explained. “Having these [U.S.] Soldiers and their equipment gives us the extra visibility and manpower we need.”
The forward deployment of Stryker armored vehicles, eight-wheeled and equipped with thermal and daytime optics, has already had a measurable impact. Ortiz credited their around the clock presence with helping to dramatically decrease the number of “got-aways,” or individuals who evade capture after crossing the border illegally.
“Prior to the Strykers arriving, those high-traffic areas saw significant movement,” Ortiz said. “Now, we’re seeing those numbers drop to zero or just above.”
Increased assets in the region have allowed CBP to reroute the remaining illegal activity into zones where agents have the advantage. Communication between Army personnel and U.S. Border Patrol agents is coordinated through both radio systems and Android Team Awareness Kit devices, providing real-time tracking and minimizing confusion during joint operations.
Ortiz also highlighted the value of military technology in supplementing their capabilities. Army-deployed cameras, day and night optics, and aerial systems such as tethered aerostats—helium-filled surveillance balloons with high-powered cameras—help agents monitor movement even in areas with dense coverage or elevation blind spots.
With U.S. Soldiers utilizing Stryker armored vehicles in Rio Grande Valley, CBP now has a major security advantage sealing the southern border within the region and further reducing illegal activity.
| Date Taken: | 06.24.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 06.25.2025 14:15 |
| Story ID: | 501406 |
| Location: | RIO GRANDE CITY, TEXAS, US |
| Web Views: | 125 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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