Marines assigned to or participating in missions along the U.S.-Mexico border are now eligible to receive a newly issued Mexican Border Defense Medal, according to Military Times and Navy Times. Both outlets report that the change applies to Marines who take part in border-defense-related operations, though neither article provides detailed eligibility thresholds beyond participation in those missions. The updates indicate the medal is part of an expanded recognition effort for service members supporting border-related duties. The reports do not describe specific qualifying locations, time-in-service requirements, or the approval process in detail, focusing instead on the announcement that Marines are included as recipients. The information is presented as a new eligibility policy for the medal, with the two sources aligning on the core point: Marines performing border defense missions are now covered by the award. No additional context on whether other service branches are also eligible is included in the provided summaries.