Pentagon creates new medal for troops serving at US southern border

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The Pentagon has created a brand new medal for service members who’ve deployed to the southern border to help federal regulation enforcement with President Donald Trump’s crackdown on unlawful immigration.

The Pentagon unveiled plans for a Mexican Border Protection Medal for U.S. troops serving with Joint Task Force Southern Border , in line with a brand new memo the Pentagon launched Aug.13 that was shared on social media.

A U.S. protection official confirmed the authenticity of the memo to Fox Information Digital Wednesday.

TROOPS AT THE BORDER: HOW THE MILITARY’S ROLE IN IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT HAS EXPLODED UNDER TRUMP

A Texas Nationwide Guard soldier stands vigil at a makeshift migrant camp close to the U.S.-Mexico border fence Might 11, 2023, in El Paso, Texas. (John Moore/Getty Photos)

Now, service members will obtain the Mexican Border Protection Medal (MBDM) as an alternative of the Armed Forces Service Medal (AFSM) like they beforehand earned for supporting Customs and Border Safety on the border, the memo stated.

The Armed Forces Service Medal, initially created in 1996 by former President Invoice Clinton, is awarded to troops who've participated in a navy operation with "vital exercise," however didn’t encounter international armed opposition or imminent hostile motion, in line with a U.S. Military description of the medal.

The Pentagon stated in July that roughly 8,500 navy personnel are assigned to Joint Process Power Southern Border, and have been tasked with responding to safety threats there. The duty pressure bought underway in March and accomplished roughly 3,500 patrols between then and July, in line with the Pentagon.

PENTAGON SETS UP NEW 250 MILE MILITARY BUFFER ZONE AT BORDER WITH CROSSINGS AT RECORD LOWS

<img src="https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2025/05/1200/675/new-mexico-border.jpg?ve=1&tl=1" alt="U.S. soldiers take measures at the Mexican border after the Department of Defense signed a new order declaring 110,000 acres of land on the Mexican border as a National Defense Area at the request of President Donald Trump in New Mexico, United States on May 08, 2025." width="1200" height="675"/> U.S. troopers take measures on the Mexican border after the Division of Protection signed a brand new order declaring 110,000 acres of land on the Mexican border as a Nationwide Protection Space on the request of President Donald Trump in New Mexico, United States on Might 08, 2025. (Can Hasasu/Anadolu by way of Getty Photos)

These eligible for the award will need to have deployed since Jan. 20 to help Customs and Border Safety, and served inside 100-nautical miles from the worldwide border shared with Mexico in both Texas, New Mexico, Arizona or California.

Those that’ve additionally served in adjoining waters as much as 24 nautical miles away from the border are also eligible.

"Service members will need to have been completely assigned, hooked up, or detailed to a unit that deployed to take part in a delegated DoD navy operation supporting CBP throughout the (space of eligibility) in the course of the (interval of award) for 30 consecutive or nonconsecutive days," the memo stated.

Those that have already got acquired the Armed Forces Service Medal for service on the southern border might attraction to obtain the brand new award however are ineligible to obtain each, in line with the Pentagon.

"Service members and Veterans beforehand awarded the AFSM for DoD help to CBP might apply to their respective Navy Service for award of the MBDM in lieu of the AFSM beforehand awarded to acknowledge such service; nonetheless, no Service member or Veteran could also be awarded each the AFSM and the MBDM for a similar interval of qualifying service," the memo stated.

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U.S. troopers take measures on the Mexican border after the Division of Protection signed a brand new order declaring 110,000 acres of land on the Mexican border as a Nationwide Protection Space on the request of US President Donald Trump in New Mexico, United States on Might 08, 2025. (Can Hasasu/Anadolu by way of Getty Photos)

The Pentagon, per the path of the president, has established 4 national defense areas alongside the border, bolstering U.S. troops’ capability to help Customs and Border Safety below the duty pressure.

The nationwide protection areas function below navy jurisdiction, paving the best way for U.S. troops to detain trespassers. With out putting these stretches of land below navy jurisdiction, U.S. troops had been barred from doing so below present federal regulation.

"By these enhanced authorities, U.S. Northern Command will guarantee those that illegally trespass within the New Mexico Nationwide Protection Space are handed over to Customs and Border Safety or our different regulation enforcement companions," Air Power Gen. Gregory Guillot, commander of U.S. Northern Command, stated in an April assertion. "Joint Process Power Southern Border will conduct enhanced detection and monitoring, which can embrace car and foot patrols, rotary wing and glued surveillance website operations."