Task Force Forge relieves Task Force Sapper at southern border

Photo By Sgt. Mary Torres | U.S. Marine Corps Lt. Col. Tyrone Barrion, left, commanding officer of Task Force Sapper, and Lt. Col. Colin Graham, commanding officer of Task Force Forge, discuss their mission at the southern border barrier in preparation for a unit rotation in support of Joint Task Force-Southern Border, in the Yuma Sector, July 12, 2025. Task Force Forge comprises 500 Marines and Sailors from Combat Logistics Battalion 15, 1st Marine Logistics Group, I Marine Expeditionary Force, tasked to support the Joint Task Force-Southern Border mission with engineering and logistics capabilities. Joint Task Force-Southern Border executes full-scale, agile, and all-domain operations in support of U.S. Customs and Border Protection to protect the territorial integrity of the United States and achieve 100% operational control of the southern border. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Sgt. Mary Torres)  

YUMA, ARIZONA, UNITED STATES

07.14.2025

Courtesy Story

I Marine Expeditionary Force

YUMA, Ariz. – U.S. Marines and Sailors with Combat Logistics Battalion 15, 1st Marine Logistics Group, I Marine Expeditionary Force, have assumed operational responsibilities along the U.S. southern border as Task Force Forge under Joint Task Force–Southern Border, today.

Over the weekend, commanding officers and key leaders from Task Force Forge and Task Force Sapper conducted a joint reconnaissance of the southern border barrier in the Yuma Sector. The visit marked the official activation of Task Force Forge to succeed Task Force Sapper in their mission.

Working alongside U.S. Customs and Border Protection and U.S. Border Patrol, the task force will provide critical engineering and logistical support in accordance with the presidential executive order issued Jan. 20, 2025.

“The Marines and Sailors of Task Force Forge are ready to build on the accomplishments of our predecessors,” said Lt. Col. Colin Graham, commanding officer of Task Force Forge. “Our mission is clear: support our federal partners and Joint Task Force-Southern Border, strengthen operational readiness, and support upholding the territorial integrity of our nation’s border with professionalism and precision.”

Over the past several weeks, Task Force Forge personnel conducted extensive hands-on training with Task Force Sapper to prepare for their mission.

As part of its deployment, Task Force Forge will establish its presence eastward in the Yuma sector, bolstering JTF-SB’s current support activities in the region.

For additional information about Task Force Forge and the Marine Corps’ role in Joint Task Force-Southern Border, please contact the Joint Task Force-Southern Border Media Desk at [phone] or [e-mail].

For more information, photos, videos and stories about southern border operations, please visit: https://www.dvidshub.net/unit/DoDSWB25.

• Date Taken: 07.14.2025
• Date Posted: 07.14.2025 18:25
• Story ID: 542771
• Location: YUMA, ARIZONA, US