The Pentagon has launched the Mexican Border Defense Medal (MBDM) to honor service members who have deployed to support President Donald Trump’s immigration enforcement efforts at the U.S.-Mexico border. This initiative replaces the Armed Forces Service Medal (AFSM), previously used to recognize similar tasks. The MBDM is part of broader administrative measures to acknowledge the military’s role in immigration operations under Trump’s administration.
According to the memo, the new medal is designed to commemorate troops involved in the Joint Task Force Southern Border, which has been tasked with security operations in the region. The Department of Defense highlighted that as of July, approximately 8,500 military personnel are assigned to the task force, having conducted over 3,500 patrols since March. The memo outlines eligibility criteria, requiring service members to have deployed since January 20 to support Customs and Border Protection within the designated border regions.
Those who previously received the Armed Forces Service Medal may apply for the MBDM but are ineligible for both awards for the same period of qualifying service, as per the Pentagon’s instructions. The establishment of four national defense areas under military jurisdiction has also enhanced the troops’ ability to assist law enforcement agencies like Customs and Border Protection. These measures underline the administrative and operational shifts in managing border security under the current presidential administration.