IV Post

El Paso, Texas - Local and national members of the Border Patrol joined the public today at the National Border Patrol Museum in El Paso to celebrate 84 years of dedicated service of protecting our nation’s borders.

Border Patrol Chief David V. Aguilar and other high-ranking CBP officials joined members of the community in recognizing 84 years of service by men and women who are part of the largest federal law enforcement agency in the country.

Since the inception of the Border Patrol in May of 1924, it has undergone a series of changes and responsibilities ranging from enforcing prohibition; to helping stop the nation’s first commercial airline hijacking attempt in El Paso, Texas. In 1961, agents were deputized to help combat civil disorders during the Civil Rights movement.

After September 2001, the Border Patrol was tasked with preventing and deterring the entry of terrorists and weapons of terror. All of these changes occurred while never losing focus on immigration and protecting our communities from criminal activity.

El Paso, Texas is where the first headquarters for Border Patrol was set up in 1924, and is also the home of the first-ever Border Patrol Academy held in Camp Chigas, in 1934. For this reason, El Paso is known as the place where the legend of the Border Patrol began. That legend has continued to grow and after 84 years, is proud to be an integral part of the community.

As part of the ceremonies, the John Ward and Lee O’Daniel statue depicting a Border Patrol agent and his trusted mount were officially unveiled as the latest addition to the museum’s proud heritage of the Border Patrol. The event also featured several different aspects of the patrol, including: Horse Patrol units; canine teams; and the national award winning Honor Guard Team from the El Paso Sector.

This event also allowed for the Border Patrol to provide a historical perspective for the attending crowd and to honor those men and women who have served--and those who continue to serve the nation with dignity and integrity, with the motto: "Honor First".