a f t e r d e f e a t i n g t r a n s r e g i o n a l a n d

Transcription

1 Dear Friends of U.S. Army South, The U.S. Army South team continues to get a f t e r d e f e a t i n g t r a n s r e g i o n a l a n d transnational threat networks and remains committed to bolstering a friendly network of partners and confronting challenges as part of a comprehensive joint effort. This was especially apparent in Brasilia, Brazil where we reached consensus on 43 Agreed to Actions with Lt. Gen. William A.F. Abrahao, Brazilian Army Deputy Chief of Staff, and our Brazilian partners during Army-to-Army staff talks. The staff talks are a great teambuilding event that strengthens our relationships and trust but more importantly, helps us each learn more about how we can work together to address emerging challenges in the region and worldwide. Brazil was our first country with which Army South began our staff talks in 1984 and these talks continue to be professionally beneficial to both of our armies, and assist in strengthening ties between two of the world's most robust democracies. Central America is another example of where we focus efforts to strengthen our friendly networks to combat emerging threats; e s p e c i a l l y i l l i c i t t r a f f i c k i n g a n d t h e supporting drug networks. We traveled to Honduras to meet with Gen. (Retired) Fredy Diaz, Acting Minister of Defense, Maj. Gen. Francisco Alvarez, Chief of Defense, and Brig. Gen. Rene Orlando Ponce -Fonseca, Honduran Army commander and to El Salvador to meet with Brig. Gen. Guillermo U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions listens to Howard Augusto Cotto Castaneda, Director General of the Salvadoran National Police, at the National Police Headquarters in San Salvador, El Salvador July 28th. The main objective of the visit was to discuss security cooperation in tackling transnational crime. A UH-60 Blackhawk from Army South s 1-228th Aviation Regiment lands aboard the USNS Spearhead during operations off the coast of Honduras in the Caribbean Sea, July 27th. With Lt. Gen. William A.F. Abrahao (left), Brazilian Army Deputy Chief of Staff and a Brazilian Army special operator in Goiania, Brazil during Army-to- Army staff talks. 1

2 Herrador, the Salvadoran Army Commander. These two Armies are the most trusted institutions in their respective countries because of their leadership and the fact that their Soldiers do what is right to protect their nations. Everything we do is all about relationships and trust. This was a good opportunity to meet face -to-face and discuss how we can assist each other to support security in the region and hemisphere. Key to our goal of building partner nation capacity is the use of Regionally Aligned Forces from the active Army, Army National Guard and Army Reserve total Army force. In Honduras, we visited our RAF Soldiers from the Arkansas Army National Guard s 39th Infantry Brigade Combat Team who support missions in Guatemala, El Salvador and Honduras, to see them in action as they train with our partner Armies. Right now in Guatemala, our RAF Soldiers are working alongside 10 Guatemalan Army instructors to prepare 207 trainees who will make up Interagency Task Force Xinca the third interagency security force project assembled to improve border security and augment police. This is just another way that we strengthen relationships and build trust between our Armies. Together with our partners in the hemisphere, w e t a k e p r i d e i n b e i n g i n n o v a t o r s, collaborators, and problem solvers. It was in this spirit that we joined members of the Trinidad and Tobago Defense Force, U.S. Army and Air Force engineers and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers civilians in Port of Spain With Brig. Gen. Guillermo A. Herrador, the Salvadoran Army Commander, as we sign bilateral agreements to specify our engagements and cooperation for the upcoming year. Sgt. Maj. Bryan Zickefoose, U.S. Southern Command senior enlisted advisor, during his recent visit to Honduras to visit Honduran Army Soldiers and members of the Arkansas Army National Guard s 39th Infantry Brigade Combat Team. Sgt. Maj Ronald Woods from Regionally Aligned Forces 2nd Battalion, 153rd Infantry Regiment, 39th Infantry Brigade Combat Team congratulates a Honduran Soldier for a job well done after completing training at Tamara, Honduras. 2

3 to help shape an effective renewable energy strategy in the region. We have much to learn from our Trinidad and Tobago Defense Force partners since they have a wealth of experience with the unique issues of the Caribbean region. We focused on storm water m a n a g e m e n t, s o l a r a n d p h o t o v o l t a i c technologies and facility management and visited military facilities to conduct energy e f f i c i e n c y a s s e s s m e n t s a n d d e t e r m i n e strategies to help save energy. As we mentioned in our last update, Colombia has been one of our most steadfast partners for decades from the time we fought alongside each other in the 1950s during the Korean War. Exemplifying the strength of our bond is Colombian Col. Pedro Ospina, our U.S. Army South partner nation liaison officer, and, most importantly, our friend. We bid farewell to Pedro after he worked vigilantly alongside the Army South team during the past year. He, his wife Yolanda and daughter Valentina are truly a part of our Army South family and we wish them the best as they return to Colombia. We look forward to working alongside his replacement as part of a Partner Nation Liaison Officer program that also includes representatives from Brazil, Chile and Peru. None of us can face today s emerging threats alone; especially in today s ever -changing, fast-paced environment. It s through the strength of our relationships that we re successful in taking on the common threats in our hemisphere. This was on full display d uring a f r i e n dly, S p e c ial Operations Col. Claudia Carrizales, U.S. Southern Command's military liaison officer to Trinidad and Tobago, visits with members of the Trinidad and Tobago Defense Force during an Energy and Water Policy Development exchange in Port of Spain, Trinidad. We bid farewell to Colombian Col. Pedro Ospina, U.S. Army South foreign liaison officer, and his family during a ceremony at our headquarters. We wish them well as they return home to Colombia. Adm. Kurt W. Tidd, commander of U.S. Southern Command, presents the first place trophy to the Honduran team during the Fuerzas Comando 2017 closing ceremony in Paraguay. 3

4 C o m m a n d S o u t h - l e d, c o m p e t i t i o n i n Paraguay Fuerzas Comando Honduras took the top honors in this year s competition among 20 countries who challenged each other in 15 events. Colombia and the U.S. rounded out second and third places. Ultimately, the competition builds trust and strengthens relationships through bonds of friendship. Congratulations to our Honduran partners on a job well done! We continue engaging regionally to ensure interoperability, build relationships, enhance situational awareness, assure partners, deter adversaries and defeat threats. We re just now wrapping up our role in the 2017 PANAMAX exercise which focuses on ensuring the security of the Panama Canal and included forces from more than 17 p a r t n e r n a t i o n s a t v a r i o u s l o c a t i o n s throughout the hemisphere. U.S. Army South led Multi-National Forces South here in San Antonio with Chilean Brig. Gen. Andres Fuentealba, Brazilian Brig. Gen. Sergio Luiz Tratz and Panamanian Col. Jeremia Urieta serving as our deputy commanders. Brazilian Maj. Gen. Jorge Lopes Fossi led the Combined Forces Land Component Command in San Antonio along with deputy commanders Guatemalan Brig. Gen. Nelson Milian and Peruvian Brig. Gen. Julio Castaneda. We ll be sure to provide more details in our next update. Thank you for your continued support! K.K. Chinn Major General, USA Commander, U.S. Army South Sgt. 1st Class Gabriel Martinez, an Army South Soldier assigned to Joint Task Force Bravo in Honduras, navigates down the rope tower during the obstacle course portion of the 2017 Joint Base San Antonio Best Warrior Competition. (Left to right) Col. Keith McKinley, the recently appointed Joint Task Force-Bravo commander, Admiral Kurt Tidd, commander of U.S. Southern Command and Col. Brian Hughes, former commander of JTF-Bravo, salute the formation at Soto Cano Air Base, Honduras during a change of command ceremony July 10th. The residents of Copán, Honduras watch as forces from Army South s Aviation Regiment arrive in preparation for a medical readiness exercise to provide much needed services to the local population and key training for military forces. 4

5 U.S. Army South Soldiers and U.S. Marines from Special Purpose Marine Air-Ground Task Force Southern Command conduct water survival training at Soto Cano Air Base. The week-long training class went over different survival techniques, swimming tips, uniform flotation methods and physical training. Sgt. 1st Class Trini Ta, a U.S. Army South radiology technician at Soto Cano Air Base, Honduras, provides medical care to a Joint Task Force-Bravo Soldier. Sgt. 1st Class Ta works on both humans and military working dogs to ensure providers get the right images to help their patients. With Chaplain (Col.) Samuel Lee (center), Army South command chaplain, and the team as we celebrate the 242nd Chaplain Corps Anniversary July 28th. Cutting the ribbon alongside Lt. Col. Ryan Levesque, Command Sgt. Maj. Carlos Olvera, and Command Sgt. Maj. Jon Williams during the official opening of the U.S Army South Tactical Equipment Maintenance Facility at Fort Sam Houston. The Army South Office of the Chief Information Officer was recognized by the Army s Enterprise Content Management Collaboration Services. The ECMCS highlighted that Army South sets the standard in their use of SharePoint to collaborate with other users and execute processes vital to our mission. Pictured are three of the individuals responsible for making this happen. (Left to right) Jose Ibarra, Carlos Bracamonte, and Albert "Storm" Williams. Col. Daniel George (bottom, right), Army South chief engineer, and Sgt. Maj. Paul Yingst (bottom, center), Army South engineer sergeant major, met with Guyana Defense Force Inspector General Col. Nazarul Hussain (top, 2nd from left) in Guyana to plan future construction projects together. 5