Some Fort Bragg troops to be deployed to US-Mexico border
 

Some Fort Bragg troops to be deployed to US-Mexico border
By: ABC News / 2-13-18
RE: https://abc11.com/society/some-fort-...order/5136416/

FORT BRAGG, N.C. (WTVD) -- Military officials have confirmed to ABC11 that some soldiers at Fort Bragg will soon be deployed to the US-Mexico border.

According to Lieutenant Colonel Michael Burns, the deployment is part of an increased military presence at the border. He did not say when the troops would leave or how many would be going, but he said more information would likely be available later this week.

In January, more than 100 Fort Bragg troops were already in place at the border assisting the Department of Homeland Security and U.S Customs and Border Protection as part of Operation Faithful Patriot.
The soldiers were spread out along the southern border in California, Arizona and Texas.

At its height as many as 5,900 active duty troops were sent to the border to "harden" ports of entry by placing security barriers and concertina wire.

The mission also included aviation units to transport Customs and Border Protection agents along the border and military police units to provide them protection.

Since then, the number of troops has been reduced to 2,350 after engineering units finished those duties and were sent home.

Defense officials have said that those numbers could temporarily increase as additional troops would be needed to put up the 116 miles of requested concertina wire. Officials have said the wire would be placed along existing structures already along the border.

This mission is different from President Donald Trump's plans to build a border wall.

Note: ABC News contributed to this report.