A 3D printed Stryker vehicle created by Bravo Company, 68th Division Sustainment Support Battalion, currently attached to the 264th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion and assigned to Joint Task Force - Southern Border is on display at the 264th CSSB motor pool on Fort Bliss, Texas, April 23, 2025. Under the direction of U.S. Northern Command, Joint Task Force–Southern Border aligns efforts to seal the southern border and repel illegal activity and is responsible for full-scale, agile, and all-domain operations, which will allow for more effective and efficient DoD operations. (U.S. Army photo by 1st Lt. Marcelo Marta)

Fort Bliss, Texas — The U.S. Military is evolving to meet the new challenges arising on today’s battlefield. Customs and Border Patrol and Joint Task Force – Southern Border face the challenging task of monitoring over 2,000 miles of border through high desert terrain by using a new asset to the U.S. Military; 3D printing and drones.

Bravo Company, 68th Division Sustainment Support Battalion, 4th Division Sustainment Brigade, 4th Infantry Division, currently attached to the 264th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion, are using their organic 91E, Allied Trade Specialists, to create the parts needed to build drones, tool parts, and even scale models for planning operations.

“This capability provides assets to unmanned aerial surveillance teams that multiplies their effectiveness in the field,” said Staff Sgt. Erik Buentello, Section Sergeant for the Allied Trade Specialists in Bravo Company, “If a drone breaks, they can pull out another and get it in the sky using parts we provide to quickly repair the other.”

A major aspect of operations on the southern border is detection and monitoring and this capability enhances our teams abilities in the field. This allows for the ease of monitoring of areas that had once needed the use of helicopters or planes. Considering the large area of land covered by JTF-SB and necessary weather conditions for operating helicopters, these drones present an asset with minimal risk that still allows for operations to continue.

Lt. Col. Aaron Ali Rogers, commander of the 264th CSSB, spoke on the importance of honing the process of 3D printing and the Allied Trade Specialist occupation, “We are in an environment where we can take advantage of the resources offered to grow this new capability, develop the Soldiers in their jobs, and improve the efficiency of our operations here on the border.”