U.S. Army North hosts Regional Border Commanders Conference

U.S. Army North hosted a Regional Border Commanders Conference at Fort Sam Houston Jan. 20-21 with representatives from the Mexican Secretariat of National Defense, or SEDENA, and numerous U.S. civilian and military organizations.

Participants from Army North, the XI Military Region of the Mexican Secretariat of National Defense, U.S. Air Forces Northern, Joint Task Force North, Joint Task Force West, the Texas and New Mexico National Guard and the U.S. Embassy in Mexico discussed efforts to tackle challenges along the U.S.-Mexican border.

The U.S. and Mexican militaries have participated in annual Border Commanders Conferences since 1987, according to Leo Muniz, political-military advisor to Lt. Gen. Perry Wiggins, U.S. Army North commanding general.

While the BCCs comprise representatives of U.S. and Mexican organizations along the entire southern U.S. border, the RBCCs are focused separately on each of the three SEDENA northern border Military Regions.

“The first RBCC was held last year based on a desire for senior military regional leadership to meet with greater frequency and exchange information and tackle common and shared border challenges,” Muniz said. ARNORTH and SEDENA alternate responsibility for hosting both the BCC and the RBCCs.

This particular RBCC focused on the SEDENA’s XI Military Region, which spans the U.S. southern border from the western edge of New Mexico to approximately the Laredo area in Texas.

The formal portion of the conference consisted of updates and best practices from the participants on border coordination, a review of ARNORTH capabilities and plans with regard to chemical, biological, nuclear and radiological response, and training opportunities for senior leaders to exercise a catastrophic scenario along the border.

Wiggins praised SEDENA’s efforts to collaborate with the United States to confront common challenges, particularly the significant work they have done to combat drug trafficking. Wiggins also spoke highly of previous coordination done between ARNORTH and SEDENA during training exercises that involved man-made and natural disasters.

“The coordination we did for Fuerzas Amigas (a yearly bilateral training exercise) helped us when we had a real disaster with Hurricane Odile in Cabo San Lucas,” Wiggins said. “We had learned how to communicate with and support each other.

“When you’ve talked and walked through it (a disaster), it doesn’t make it easy, but it sure makes it easier,” he added.

Muniz highlighted that this RBCC allowed for collaboration to tackle complex issues including information sharing, a key to ensuring operational success.

“This conference allowed us to engage in a strategic discussion to explore avenues for confronting our common challenges – weapons trafficking, drug trafficking, and response to natural disasters,” Muniz said.

The SEDENA representatives were also pleased with the conference and look forward to further coordination and cooperation. Maj. Eddie Figueroa, deputy Mexico Engagement Branch chief within ARNORTH’s Security Cooperation Division, said the Mexicans were particularly interested in learning from ARNORTH about equipment and techniques that can keep their soldiers safe in the performance of their daily duties.

“They anticipate learning more about technology that can help them across the range of their missions at the upcoming Border Commanders Conference,” Figueroa said.