On the Ground at the “Border Tech Expo”

RECOIL is on the ground at the Ft. Bliss Biggs Army Airfield for the US Border Patrol Law Enforcement Technology Expo, hosted by the Special Forces Association's Isaac Camacho Chapter 9. The Expo, now in it's 13th year, brings together manufacturers and vendors whose gear could (or already does) support the LE mssion along the border. Pete Peral, Director of Logistics for the Border Patrol and President of the SFA Association, took a few minutes to talk to us.

Says Peral,

“[The Expo] started 13 years ago with a handful of vendors, about 7 vendors, who would be at BORTAC [the Border Patrol Tactical Unit] at the time to show their wares, weapons systems, armor and the like…it's morphed over the years into where it's at. Three years ago the SF Association was asked to take it over, branded with the same name. SOG, the Special Operations Group of Border Patrol worked with the Association, which now managed the show.”

USBP's SOG includes BORTAC (Border Patrol Tactical Unit), BORSTAR (Border Patrol Search Trauma and Rescue), the IU (Intelligence Unit) and MRT (Mobile Response Team), all of which are headquartered in El Paso. Uniformed personnel from many agencies are in evidence, and not just USBP. We've seen Texas Rangers, US military SOF units and several others, in addition to the numerous former “long-tabbers” (Special Force personnel) walking the show to help out.

As for manufacturers and vendors, it's quite a lineup, including everything from LBE (Load Bearing Gear), armor and weaponry to some field trauma equipment that looks like it's right out of a science fiction movie. Elite Defense is here, as is DSG Arms, XGO, Benchmade, Danner, Night Vision Depot, Black Tree, Tactical Tailor, Revision, Tribalco, etc. etc. Lots of good companies and interesting people. We even bumped into Rocco from Article 15 Clothing.

Note – the SF Isaac Camacho Chapter 9 is named for Isaac “Ike” Camacho, the subject of this book. If you don't know who he is, you should do some readin'!