Sergeant First Class Christian Hidalgo Receives Mexican Border Defense Medal at Pentagon

U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth presented the Mexican Border Defense Medal to Sergeant First Class Christian Hidalgo of El Paso, Texas, during a ceremony at the Pentagon on 27 July. The medal, created in August 2025 as a replica of the 1918 Mexican Border Service Medal, honored 50 service members—35 soldiers, 14 Marines and one sailor—for their roles in security operations along the United States‑Mexico border. Hidalgo, an Irvin High School graduate now assigned to Fort Bliss, was highlighted as one of the soldiers who have helped maintain operational control of the southern border for more than 25 years. Officials noted that around 9,000 soldiers are currently involved in these border‑security missions.