c a p a b i l i t y, assure a l l i e s, a n d d e t e r adversaries. I m happy to report that our U.S. Army South s 1st Battalion, 228th

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1 Dear Friends of U.S. Army South, This is our first update for 2017 and we hope you are enjoying the New Year so far. The world continues to move at a fast pace as our Army works to prevent conflict, shape security environments, build partner c a p a b i l i t y, assure a l l i e s, a n d d e t e r adversaries. I m happy to report that our Soldiers and civilians here at U.S. Army South are already off to a great start and continue to get after it day in and day out. U.S. Army South s 1st Battalion, 228th Aviation Regiment, alongside members of U.S. and Salvadoran Special Forces, completed Operation Serpiente, a joint air assault training mission in San Salvador during early December. This was the largest air assault exercise of its kind to take place in El Salvador in recent years and required a n e x p e r t l e v e l o f l e a d e r s h i p, communication and capabilities between U.S. and Salvadoran ground and air assets. The successful completion of this exercise was another excellent example of strength through partnership and we are proud to work alongside our Salvadoran Army partners. December 5-9 we hosted our Colombian Army partners at our headquarters for an A r m y - to- A r m y S t a f f T a l k s s t e e r i n g committee where we came together to discuss and plan bilateral agreements for the future. Participants included Colombian Sergeant Major of the Army, Argemiro Posso Rivera. Colombia is one of our Gen. Daniel B. Allyn (right), Vice Chief of Staff of the U.S. Army, with Brig. Gen. Rene Orlando Ponce, Honduran Army commander, in Honduras December 14th. Salvadoran Special Forces troops conducting air assault training out of a UH-60 Blackhawk helicopter assigned to Army South s 1st Battalion, 228th Aviation Regiment during Operation Serpiente Dec. 1st at Lake Ilopango, El Salvador. With Gen. Gustave F. Perna, commander of U.S. Army Materiel Command, during his visit January 20th at our headquarters. 1

2 strongest partners in the region from the time we fought alongside each other in the 1950s during the Korean War to facing today s emerging threats throughout the region. When a challenge occurs, we feel comfortable enough to pick up the phone and call each other, knowing we have a teammate or friend on the other end of the line who asks how can we help? During a ceremony at our headquarters December 6th we were privileged to place our U.S. Army South shoulder patch on the uniforms of three of our partner nation Army officers including Col. Pedro Ospina, Colombian Army, and Col. Rocco Rosito, Brazilian Army, both liaison officers here at Army South, and Col. Wilson Duran, Colombian Army, who is assigned to the Permanent Executive Secretariat of the Conference of American Armies office. All three work alongside us on a daily basis at o u r h e a d q u a r t e r s a n d h a v e b e e n instrumental in coordinating engagements between our Armies and we are proud to have them as part of the Army South family. December 7th we hosted Lt. Gen. Larry D. Wyche, U.S. Army Materiel Command deputy commander, at our headquarters to assess the valuable support that AMC provides to US Army South. Our intent was to provide Lt. Gen. Wyche with a deeper understanding of U.S. Army South s logistics support to contingency operations and our Partner Nations acquisition process. This engagement was important to Col. Timothy Teague (right), U.S. Army South chief of Plans and Strategy, and Colombian Col. Carlos Barbosa Fontecha, sign the agreements between our Armies during U.S., Colombia staff talks Dec. 9th. (Left to right) Brazilian Col. Rocco Rosito, Colombian Col. Pedro Ospina and Colombian Col. Wilson Duran during an Army South patch ceremony at our headquarters December 6th. Brig. Gen. Richard Torres (left) meets with Lt. Gen. Larry D. Wyche, U.S. Army Materiel Command deputy commander, at our headquarters December 7th. 2

3 ensure we synchronize efforts in assisting Partner Nation Armies and ensuring that we remain their partner of choice. December we accompanied Gen. Daniel B. Allyn, Vice Chief of Staff of the U.S. Army, during his visit to Central America where he traveled to Honduras, El Salvador and Guatemala to address capacity -building initiatives and see highlights of what the U.S. Army is doing to support and promote security cooperation in the region. In each country, Gen. Allyn met with the U.S. Ambassadors, engaged with partner nation military and Army leaders, as well as, U.S. military personnel stationed in the region and service members of Joint Task Force-Bravo in Honduras. He had a good dialogue with Partner Nation leaders on security and stability within the hemisphere. December Lt. Col. Javier Rivera, U.S. Army South staff judge advocate, led a delegation to Lima, Peru to engage with Brig. Gen. Johnny Leon Rabanal, Peruvian Army director of International Affairs, Col. Sigifredo Adrianzén, the Judge Advocate General of the Peruvian Army and 25 Peruvian Army attorneys where they discussed current challenges in conforming laws of armed conflict to the modern b a t t l e f i e l d. This w a s a n e x c e l l e n t opportunity to discuss various legal aspects of military operations and share numerous lessons learned. As Brig. Gen. Rabanal stated during the engagement, judge advocates are key to ensuring commanders With Col. Carlos Alberto Ramirez (left), Salvadoran Army Special Forces commander, and Gen. Daniel B. Allyn (center), Vice Chief of Staff of the U.S. Army, in El Salvador December 12th. Gen. Daniel B. Allyn (right), Vice Chief of Staff of the U.S. Army, with Brig. Gen. Juan Manuel Perez Ramirez, the Guatemalan chief of the National Defense Staff, in Guatemala City December 13th. Lt. Col. Javier Rivera (center), U.S. Army South staff judge advocate, with Brig. Gen. Johnny Leon Rabanal (left), Peruvian Army director of International Affairs, and Col. Sigifredo Adrianzén, the Judge Advocate General of the Peruvian Army in Lima, Peru December 14th. 3

4 and their troops fulfill their duties and accomplish the mission with respect to the law and human rights. January 6th Gen. David G. Perkins, commander of U.S. Army Training and D o c t ri n e C o m m a n d, s t o p p e d b y o u r h e a d q u a r t e r s t o c o n d u c t a L e a d e r s Professional Development presentation for our team. Gen. Perkins focused on the Army warfighting challenges and future Army transformations. Also in attendance was T RA D O C ' s C o m m a n d S e r g e a n t M a j o r, Command Sgt. Maj. David S. Davenport, Sr. We used the opportunity to discuss various Army South-related topics such as the C o l o m b i a n A r m y t r a n s f o r m a t i o n a n d doctrine development and the expansion of partner nation liaison officers within TRADOC, the Western Hemisphere Institute for Security Cooperation and other U.S. Army organizations. January we hosted a State Partnership Program Conference at Fort Sam Houston in an effort to maintain unity of effort among Army components in the U.S. Southern Command area of operations. Defense and security forces from 23 nations in the Caribbean and Central and South America have active partnerships with U.S. state military forces. Eight State Adjutant Generals, five Assistant Adjutant Generals, seven Deputy Joint Chiefs of Staff, one Army National Guard Deputy Director and 15 Command Sergeants Major and a host of military delegates joined us here at Fort Sam H ous t o n. O u r goals w e r e t o s h a re Gen. David G. Perkins, commander of U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command, conducts a presentation for members of U.S. Army South at our headquarters January 6th. Dr. Bridget Gersten (right), Army South Foreign Policy Advisor, visits with Maj. Gen. William Reddell III (center), New Hampshire National Guard Adjutant General and Brig. Gen. Shawn O Brien, New Hampshire National Guard Joint Staff director during the State Partnership Program Conference at Fort Sam Houston January 19th. During a promotion ceremony via teleconference for Col. Christopher D. Corizzo, U.S. Army South liaison officer to U.S. Southern Command. We congratulate Chris on his promotion to colonel. 4

5 i n f o r m a t i o n, a d d r e s s o p e r a t i o n a l requirements and synchronize the land forces community of interest in the area. It was a great conference that will ensure we are all working to effectively build partner nation capabilities to defeat transregional and transnational threat networks. We appreciate your continued support! Many events are coming up next month and we ll be sure to provide you with regular updates. We ll leave you with more great photos of some other important events that took place during the past month. (Left to right) Brig. Gen. Richard Torres, Rear Adm. Linda R. Wackerman, Deputy Commander, U.S. Naval Forces Southern Command, Brig. Gen. James Wong and Col. James Dodson conduct crisis action planning at Fort Sam Houston for the 2017 Integrated Advance exercise. K.K. Chinn Major General, USA Commander, U.S. Army South Col. Lance Moore (left), Army South operations chief, with Rear Adm. Daniel B. Brian Hendrickson, U.S. Southern Command Theater Engagement director, at our headquarters Dec. 13th. Romanian Col. Sorin Cirstea (left), Combined Joint Psychological Operations Task Force commander, presented the Emblem of Honor to U.S. Army South s Lt. Col. Thérèse Obidinski December 21st for her great performance during a deployment to Afghanistan in support of the NATO Resolute Support Mission. This is one of the highest Romanian military honors that can be presented to a member of a foreign military. With Maj. Gen. Michael R. Smith (center), Deputy Chief of Army Reserve, and Brig. Gen. Richard Torres at our headquarters January 5th to discuss ways we can continue to work together as part of the total Army force. 5

6 With our Army South Partner Nation Liaison Officers and their family members during the U.S. Army South Holiday Ball in San Antonio December 17th. Brig. Gen. James P. Wong speaks during a biannual training session on reintegration Jan. 10th at Fort Sam Houston. As the executive agent for planning, leading and coordinating reintegration efforts for the Department of Defense, Army South held the 3-day training session which included personnel from multiple government agencies and military branches. Presenting the Meritorious Service Medal to Peruvian Col. Mauricio Mansilla Garate January 24th for his distinguished service while serving as a partner nation liaison at U.S. Army South. With Chilean Army 1st Lt. Jose Goycolea, 2016 Best Chilean Army Junior Officer and Chilean Cpl. Juan Rivas, 2016 Best Chilean Army NCO instructor, of the Chilean Army at our headquarters. Presenting the Meritorious Service Medal to Col. Wilson J. Duran Fernandez for his accomplishments with the Permanent Executive Secretariat of CAA for the past year while working at U.S. Army South. Pro Football Hall of Famer Anthony Munoz with Command Sgt. Maj. Carlos Olvera at the U.S. Army All American Bowl in San Antonio January 7th. 6

7 Brig. Gen. James P. Wong (left) leads the traditional cake-cutting as U.S. Army South celebrated the National Guard s 380th birthday with a ceremony in front of our headquarters Dec. 13th. We welcomed the new U.S. Southern Command Senior Enlisted Leader, Marine Sgt. Maj. Bryan Zickefoose (front row 3rd from the left), shown here with Command Sgt. Maj. Carlos Olvera (front row, 3rd from the right) and Army South sergeants major from various directorates in front of our headquarters building January 10th. With members of our team, their families and San Antonio-area community members during a U.S. Army South holiday reception January 21st at Fort Sam Houston. Greeting guests during the U.S. Army South holiday reception with Command Sgt. Maj. Carlos Olvera and our spouses January 21st at Fort Sam Houston. 7