CommunityEditor
01-14-2009, 09:28 PM
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — If New Mexico National Guard Maj. Gen. Kenny Montoya could give Homeland Security Secretary-designate Janet Napolitano advice about using Guard troops on the border, it would be this: Don’t do another Operation Jumpstart directed from Washington.
Montoya believes Napolitano, the Arizona governor who has been tapped for the federal post by President-elect Obama, wants to build up forces along the border again.
President Bush in May 2005 ordered 6,000 National Guard troops to Arizona, Texas, California and New Mexico to help the Border Patrol cut illegal immigration. Troops were deployed in observation post along the Mexican border.
In August, well before Obama’s election, Napolitano urged federal officials not to reduce those troops. Federal officials said they could reduce Guard troops because the Border Patrol added more agents, but Napolitano said the drawdown should be halted so authorities can fight human smuggling and other illegal activity.
Montoya would like to see money permanently put into efforts to fight drug-running along the border, but leaving states in control of training soldiers and deciding how funds would be spent.
“Because we can truly support the federal agents and what they need instead of somebody from Washington just telling them what they need,” Montoya said in an interview Tuesday. “There’s a big difference from living on the border and seeing it from somewhere else.”
The National Guard did what it was supposed to do in Operation Jumpstart — support the Border Patrol until it could beef up its numbers.
But Montoya said issues remain.
He’s working with Congress to get more money to put more soldiers on the border as a counter drug force.
“The counter-drug guys are really well trained. ... They know what they’re looking for and have a good relationship with all the federal agents,” Montoya said.
Their focus has been to stop drug shipments into the United States from Mexico. Surveillance balloons and other methods have almost closed off drug trafficking from the air, leaving most of the movement on the ground, he said.
Ground troops are well equipped to monitor which way drug traffic is going and where most of the traffic is coming in. When they see something suspicious, they pull in the Border Patrol.
“I can move them in the day, I can move them at night, so the bad guys never know where they’re at, and when they try and bring the drugs over it’s a little more difficult,” Montoya said.
With the National Guard under Montoya’s control, soldiers can be rotated away from the border, partly so guardsmen from the entire state can be trained and partly to limit soldiers’ exposure to harm.
“Those are the guys that teach advanced weapons training, advanced lifesaving skills, the urban warfare,” he said. “Also, we move them in and out so they’re not permanently down there. They’re not suspect to get involved by big money across the border. You’ll see that with people that stay on the border constantly. Sooner or later, a family member’s threatened or money’s given. Once you go that way, you’re hooked forever.”
Counter-drug troops also rescue illegal immigrants. In some cases, soldiers administer first aid before Border Patrol agents arrive.
“It’s almost slave trade at that point, 10 people stuck in the back of a trunk with no food or water,” Montoya said. “There’s a lot of people saved.”
The National Guard, he said, is essential for homeland security because citizen soldiers better understand affected communities. He cited National Guard assistance after Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans in 2005.
“They understood that if it was at our home, the kids need to get back to school,” Montoya said. “The active forces came in and never really got dirty or laid down their weapons. The mentality is completely different. The Guard is constitutionally bound as that citizen soldier.”
Over the six years Montoya has headed the Guard, it has changed from missile defense to missions suited to peacekeeping and homeland security.
Troops here now are military police, light infantry, truck drivers and medical units, and when they’re deployed, they can do jobs that are needed, Montoya said.
Two New Mexico units that will be sent to Iraq this spring will protect convoys. Montoya has put together units made up of half infantry, 25 percent military police and 25 percent transportation.
“I use the truck driver’s brain and tendency they develop to where (roadside bombs) are or ambushes,” he said. “They’re amazing guys because they’re the ones driving every second knowing they could be blown up, so they’re aware of everything.
“If some bad situation comes upon them, it’s the military police that will secure the area, that will calm it down, that will keep the civilian population as organized as they can.
“And if the worst thing happens, then I’ve got the infantry guys that can bring all the firepower in the world down on anybody or any situation.”
The same infantry units could look for a child lost in New Mexico’s mountains. Transportation units have been sent to hurricanes in Louisiana and Texas and to wildfires in California to move supplies.
“These are units we can use wherever in the world for whatever mission,” Montoya said.
Article: http://www.armytimes.com/news/2009/01/ap_guard_border_011409/
Montoya believes Napolitano, the Arizona governor who has been tapped for the federal post by President-elect Obama, wants to build up forces along the border again.
President Bush in May 2005 ordered 6,000 National Guard troops to Arizona, Texas, California and New Mexico to help the Border Patrol cut illegal immigration. Troops were deployed in observation post along the Mexican border.
In August, well before Obama’s election, Napolitano urged federal officials not to reduce those troops. Federal officials said they could reduce Guard troops because the Border Patrol added more agents, but Napolitano said the drawdown should be halted so authorities can fight human smuggling and other illegal activity.
Montoya would like to see money permanently put into efforts to fight drug-running along the border, but leaving states in control of training soldiers and deciding how funds would be spent.
“Because we can truly support the federal agents and what they need instead of somebody from Washington just telling them what they need,” Montoya said in an interview Tuesday. “There’s a big difference from living on the border and seeing it from somewhere else.”
The National Guard did what it was supposed to do in Operation Jumpstart — support the Border Patrol until it could beef up its numbers.
But Montoya said issues remain.
He’s working with Congress to get more money to put more soldiers on the border as a counter drug force.
“The counter-drug guys are really well trained. ... They know what they’re looking for and have a good relationship with all the federal agents,” Montoya said.
Their focus has been to stop drug shipments into the United States from Mexico. Surveillance balloons and other methods have almost closed off drug trafficking from the air, leaving most of the movement on the ground, he said.
Ground troops are well equipped to monitor which way drug traffic is going and where most of the traffic is coming in. When they see something suspicious, they pull in the Border Patrol.
“I can move them in the day, I can move them at night, so the bad guys never know where they’re at, and when they try and bring the drugs over it’s a little more difficult,” Montoya said.
With the National Guard under Montoya’s control, soldiers can be rotated away from the border, partly so guardsmen from the entire state can be trained and partly to limit soldiers’ exposure to harm.
“Those are the guys that teach advanced weapons training, advanced lifesaving skills, the urban warfare,” he said. “Also, we move them in and out so they’re not permanently down there. They’re not suspect to get involved by big money across the border. You’ll see that with people that stay on the border constantly. Sooner or later, a family member’s threatened or money’s given. Once you go that way, you’re hooked forever.”
Counter-drug troops also rescue illegal immigrants. In some cases, soldiers administer first aid before Border Patrol agents arrive.
“It’s almost slave trade at that point, 10 people stuck in the back of a trunk with no food or water,” Montoya said. “There’s a lot of people saved.”
The National Guard, he said, is essential for homeland security because citizen soldiers better understand affected communities. He cited National Guard assistance after Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans in 2005.
“They understood that if it was at our home, the kids need to get back to school,” Montoya said. “The active forces came in and never really got dirty or laid down their weapons. The mentality is completely different. The Guard is constitutionally bound as that citizen soldier.”
Over the six years Montoya has headed the Guard, it has changed from missile defense to missions suited to peacekeeping and homeland security.
Troops here now are military police, light infantry, truck drivers and medical units, and when they’re deployed, they can do jobs that are needed, Montoya said.
Two New Mexico units that will be sent to Iraq this spring will protect convoys. Montoya has put together units made up of half infantry, 25 percent military police and 25 percent transportation.
“I use the truck driver’s brain and tendency they develop to where (roadside bombs) are or ambushes,” he said. “They’re amazing guys because they’re the ones driving every second knowing they could be blown up, so they’re aware of everything.
“If some bad situation comes upon them, it’s the military police that will secure the area, that will calm it down, that will keep the civilian population as organized as they can.
“And if the worst thing happens, then I’ve got the infantry guys that can bring all the firepower in the world down on anybody or any situation.”
The same infantry units could look for a child lost in New Mexico’s mountains. Transportation units have been sent to hurricanes in Louisiana and Texas and to wildfires in California to move supplies.
“These are units we can use wherever in the world for whatever mission,” Montoya said.
Article: http://www.armytimes.com/news/2009/01/ap_guard_border_011409/