The Tucson Border Patrol Station runs its daily operations on the U.S. and Mexico border over a span of 20 miles between Nogales, Arizona and Sells, Arizona. Tucson Station Border Patrol Agents (BPAs) drive to the border to perform their duties each day and night in different forms of personnel employment once arriving at the border. There are small teams at the Tucson Station that have been successful at performing the duties of the Border Patrol. Examples of small teams are the Tucson Station Horse Patrol Unit (HPU), all-terrain vehicle (ATV) unit, disrupt unit, and a Tucson Station mountain team. Drug Trafficking Organizations (DTOs), and Alien Smuggling Organizations (ASOs) have made the border more complex providing guides with deterrence equipment, like carpet booties and camouflage gear. Combatting the DTO/ASO complexity, while working within both a rural environment and an urban one with the heightened scrutiny of small teams is an effective method of personnel employment in the Tucson Station's area of responsibility (AOR).

Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited. The opinions and conclusions expressed herein are those of the student-authors and do not necessarily represent the views of the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College or any other governmental agency. (References to these studies should include the foregoing statement.)