Here’s the list from the Military Times of military units headed to the border as of 1 November 2018. Credit: Tara Copp
On thing to notice is that all of the units listed with the exception of the Engineering units and the Assault Helicopter units are not combat arms units.
The 2nd Assault Helicopter Battalion, 82nd Airborne is a support unit that flies UH-60L medium lift helicopters. They do fly troops in and out of combat areas, but they also fly combat support missions.
The Engineer units build barriers, string out Concertina wire, remove obstacles, shore up bridges, breach barriers, etc.
The Combat Arms units are, Infantry, Artillery, Armor, Engineers, and Air Defense. All other units support one or more of these five branches of the army.
So it looks like Secretary Mattis has created a border force that is overwhelming comprised of support troops, and Trump will probably never be the wiser. Congratulations to Secretary Mattis for maneuvering through another Trump fiasco with minimum damage.
Who would have thought that a guy with the nickname, “Mad Dog” would be a moderating influence on The Donald.
On to the listing of units being sent to the border.
Fort Bragg, North Carolina
Headquarters & Headquarters Command, 3rd Expeditionary Sustainment Command
2nd Assault Helicopter Battalion, 82nd Airborne Division
Headquarters & Headquarters Company, 16th Military Police Brigade
51st Medical Company, 28th Combat Support Hospital
172nd Preventive Medicine
264th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion
329th Movement Control Team
403rd Inland Cargo Transfer Company
Headquarters & Headquarters Detachment, 503rd Military Police Battalion
Fort Carson, Colorado
Headquarters & Headquarters Company, 4th Sustainment Brigade, 4th Infantry Division
Headquarters & Headquarters Company, 68th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion,
4th Sustainment Brigade, 4th Infantry Division
Peterson Air Force, Colorado
Joint Enabling Capability Team and Aviation Planner from U.S. Northern Command
Scott Air Force Base, Illinois
Joint Public Support Element – Public Affairs
Fort Meade, Maryland
55th Signal Company (Combat Camera)
Fort Stewart and Hunter Army Airfield, Georgia
3rd Combat Aviation Brigade Headquarters, 3rd Infantry Division
90th Human Resources Company, 3rd Special Troops Battalion, 3rd Sustainment Brigade
Joint Base San Antonio-Fort Sam Houston, Texas
Defense Logistics Agency Contingency Contracting Team
4th Expeditionary Sustainment Command Assessment Team
Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 505th Military Intelligence Brigade
Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Washington
5th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment, I Corps
87th Engineer Sapper Company, 555th Engineer Brigade
Joint Base Charleston, South Carolina
1st Combat Camera Squadron
Fort Bliss, Texas
24th Press Camp Headquarters, 1st Armored Division
Fort Hood, Texas
89th Military Police Brigade, III Corps
Headquarters, 62nd Engineer Battalion, 36th Engineer Brigade
937th Engineer Sapper Company, 8th Engineer Battalion, 36th Engineer Brigade
104th Engineer Construction, 62nd Engineer Battalion, 36th Engineer Brigade
289th Quartermaster Company,
553rd Combat Sustainment Support Battalion, 1st Cavalry Division Sustainment Brigade
Fort Knox, Kentucky
Headquarters & Headquarters Detachment, 19th Engineer Battalion, 20th Engineer Brigade
15th Engineer Company (Horizontal), 19th Engineer Battalion
541st Engineer Sapper Company, 19th Engineer Battalion
Fort Campbell, Kentucky
887th Engineer Support Company,
101st Airborne Division Fort Courage Brigade
372nd Inland Cargo Transfer Company,
129th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion,
101st Airborne Division Sustainment Brigade
74th Transportation Company,
129th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion,
101st Airborne Division Sustainment Brigade
Fort Riley, Kansas
Headquarters and Headquarters Detachment, 97th Military Police Battalion, 1st Infantry Division
977th Military Police Company Combat Support
287th Military Police Company Combat Support
41st Engineer Company (Clearance), 4th Engineer Battalion, 36th Engineer Brigade
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Since Thanksgiving is coming up, thought you might want to hear about some of the other units they didn’t deploy to the border.
Fort Apache, Arizona
251st Combat Gravy Train (Provisional)
987th Pastry Support Company, 37rd Mess Hall (Expeditionary) Sustainment Battalion
Fort Courage, Arizona
301st Combat Stuffing Support Brigade
202nd Combat Cranberry Processing Brigade
Burpelson Air Force Base, Nebraska
627th Expeditionary Turkey Basting Wing
891st Combat Culinary Salad Spinning Squadron
Camp Swampy
415th Combat Transportation Company (Casserole)
Camp Pendleton, California
9st Marine Culinary Support Battalion (Mashed Potatoes)
2nd Marine Expeditionary Ice Cream Churning Battalion, Less Co. B