U.S. Army Soldiers with the 3rd Battalion, 501st Aviation Regiment, Combat Aviation Brigade, 1st Armored Division, assigned to Joint Task Force-Southern Border in support of Operation Ardent Vanguard, pose for a portrait to document personnel readiness prior to conducting a night aerial monitoring mission to maintain situational awareness along the U.S.-Mexico border near El Cajon, Calif., June 15, 2026. U.S. Northern Command is working side-by-side with the Department of Homeland Security and the U.S. Customs and Border Protection within narrowly defined authorities to provide unique military capabilities to protect the territorial integrity of the U.S. southern border. (Dept. of War photo by Sgt. Nathan Hislop)
