FORT HUACHUCA, Ariz. — The footprint of enhanced border security continues to grow across Arizona. Adding to a string of infrastructure upgrades along the southern border, U.S. Marines with Combat Logistics Battalion 7 (CLB 7), 1st Marine Logistics Group, successfully reinforced the border barrier in two critical areas of the U.S. Border Patrol (USBP) Tucson Sector this month, completing the projects for Zone 21 in Nogales on July 7 and Zone 31 in Naco on July 22. This achievement resulted in an additional 15 miles of the southern border barrier being fortified with robust triple-strand concertina wire to deter illegal crossings and criminal activity.
Operating under Joint Task Force-Southern Border (JTF-SB) in support of Operation Ardent Vanguard, the Marines are engaged in a continuous campaign to reinforce the southern border. These ongoing operations within the Tucson Sector directly support the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) by installing a highly durable, triple-strand concertina wire configuration to fortify both existing gaps and areas with degraded infrastructure.
The completion of fortification in both zones highlights the battalion's ability to run simultaneous engineering operations across a wide area and a challenging environment. With different companies working concurrently in Nogales and Naco, CLB 7 maintains an intense operational tempo to meet DHS requirements.
"The completion of barrier reinforcement for Zone 21 in Nogales reflects the sustained drive of our Marines," said U.S. Marine Corps Capt. Kyle Harrison, commanding officer of Alpha Company, CLB 7. "Working concurrently with our sister company in Naco, our Marines are consistently delivering high-quality results across a complex area of operations. The perseverance and excellence in planning and logistics our Marines demonstrate daily to support our DHS partners is phenomenal."
Overcoming the Elements The operational environment in both Nogales and Naco compounded the difficulty of the mission. Marines navigated exceptionally steep and unforgiving terrain under the scorching summer heat. Additionally, the region's unpredictable weather meant that sudden summer rainfall could rapidly create dangerous, slick conditions along the border hillsides, requiring constant vigilance and strict safety protocols to protect personnel while keeping the operations on track.
Engineering by the Numbers Undeterred by the severe physical and environmental toll of running concurrent operations across different sites, the Marines continued to execute precise heavy machinery operations and intense manual labor to lay miles of new barrier reinforcement. Their efforts resulted in:
With the completion of barrier reinforcement in these zones, JTF-SB Marines have fortified over 64,000 meters (approximately 40 miles) of the southern border since early April.
A Tactical Force Multiplier For USBP agents operating throughout the Tucson Sector, the upgraded barrier infrastructure provides a direct tactical advantage. The triple-strand wire is specifically engineered to deter individuals attempting to breach the barrier. By slowing down illicit border traffic, the reinforced barrier buys agents critical time to respond and interdict illegal crossings in these areas.
"Securing Zone 31 was a true team effort, executed under some of the most demanding environmental conditions our Marines have faced," said U.S. Marine Corps 1st Lt. Jack Morris, 2nd platoon commander for Bravo Company, 8th Engineer Support Battalion, assigned to CLB 7. "Our close coordination with USBP agents on the ground ensured that every meter of wire was laid where it would have the maximum tactical impact to provide them with a reliable deterrent."
With fortifications for Zones 21 and 31 now complete, the Marines in the region are already pivoting to their next assigned targets along the southern border, ensuring the momentum of the border reinforcement operations continues uninterrupted as part of JTF-SB’s mission of providing unique military capabilities to USBP.