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Department of Defense drops 'Operation Faithful Patriot' title from military border mission

The Pentagon did not give a reason for the name change or why they decided to change the name now.
U.S. Army soldiers from Ft. Riley, Kansas string razor wire near the port of entry at the U.S.-Mexico border in Donna, Texas
Army soldiers from Fort Riley, Kansas, string razor wire near the port of entry at the U.S.-Mexico border on Nov. 4, 2018, in Donna, Texas.John Moore / Getty Images
By Courtney Kube and Kalhan Rosenblatt

The U.S. military mission at the Mexican border will no longer be called "Operation Faithful Patriot," according to officials.

The formerly named "Operation Faithful Patriot" is a deployment of nearly 5,200 troops, who joined 2,000 troops already stationed at the U.S.-Mexico border.

Pentagon spokesman Lt. Col. Jamie Davis said in a statement on Wednesday that while the Defense Department was dropping the name, the operation was still named and still ongoing.

A U.S. Border Patrol agent detains an undocumented immigrant on Nov. 6, 2018 in McAllen, Texas. Border Patrol agents on the ground, assisted by a helicopter unit of U.S. Air and Marine Operations agents, apprehended a group of immigrants who had crossed the border illegally from Mexico.
A U.S. Border Patrol agent detains an undocumented immigrant on Nov. 6, 2018 in McAllen, Texas. Border Patrol agents on the ground, assisted by a helicopter unit of U.S. Air and Marine Operations agents, apprehended a group of immigrants who had crossed the border illegally from Mexico.John Moore / Getty Images

Davis said the operation will now be referred to as "border support."

No reason was given for the change in name or for the timing.

Gen. Terrence O'Shaughnessy, the commander of the U.S. Northern Command and North American Aerospace Defense Command, announced the decision on Oct. 29 at a news conference, calling the deployment "Operation Faithful Patriot" for the first time.

Its intent was to "harden the points of entry" along the border, O'Shaughnessy said.

The troops at the border are a mix of active duty, reserve and National Guard forces and are supporting thousands of border patrol agents already deployed to the area.

Courtney Kube

Courtney Kube is a correspondent covering national security and the military for the NBC News Investigative Unit.

Kalhan Rosenblatt

Kalhan Rosenblatt is a reporter covering youth and internet culture for NBC News, based in New York.