Retired general officers with ties to Ft. Bliss weigh in on troop border deployment

The Pentagon said by the end of this week about 5,200 troops will make their way to the Southwest border.

It’s part of “Operation Faithful Patriot” which is an effort to help Customs and Border Protection bolster up security at the border in anticipation of caravans carrying thousands of Central American migrants looking to make it to the U.S.

The troops will join more than 2,000 National Guardsmen that President Donald Trump has already deployed to the border.

“I do agree that we must always secure our borders, whether it’s north or south — Northern or Southern border. But, I think the caravan has been blown way out of proportion,” retired Fort Bliss Commanding General Dana Pittard said.

Pittard retired in 2015. He’s overseen troops being used to help out along the border in the past. He said they help with things like surveillance, patrolling and engineering projects.

“Wherever we had troops, to the extent with surveillance, that reduced — at least in that little pocket of area — the amount of border crossings. Illegal border crossings,” Pittard said.

Retired Brigadier General Richard Behrenhausen was the 1st Commanding General for Joint Task Force 6 in the early 1990s.

“We were responsible for assistance to law enforcement communities along the border from Brownsville, Texas to Los Angeles,” Behrenhausen said.

The troops will join more than 2,000 National Guardsmen that President Donald Trump has already deployed to the border.

Behrenhausen said there’s a key difference between what active duty personnel can do versus the National Guard.

“Texas National Guard, operating in El Paso has the authority — because they’re working for the governor — not the federal government, they’re working for the Governor of Texas, they can apprehend,” Behrenhausen said. “The active force cannot apprehend, stop or arrest.”

ABC News confirmed this operation is slated to last until December 15.

“Me, if I’m in charge of those 5,200 troops, the first thing I do is make sure they have no ammunition,” Behrenhausen said. “I would not allow any of my troops to carry any ammunition on the border. That’s where bad incidents occur. They’re not out there to apprehend or arrest — chase what they perceive as border crossers.”

Fort Bliss confirmed on Tuesday that it will be assisting in “Operation Faithful Patriot.”

“1st Armored Division and Fort Bliss personnel will provide a range of support including planning assistance and logistics support to U.S. Customs and Border Protection personnel,” Lt. Col. Crystal Boring, 1AD Public Affairs Officer said

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