Dear Friends of U.S. Army South, As we approach the 241st birthday of our illustrious Army, it is important that we reflect on the historical accomplishments of those who have led the way in our operational area. We are humbled to walk in your footsteps and honored to continue to write history for our Army. The SOUTHCOM Commander, Adm. Tidd has asked us to stay focused on defending the southern approaches and strengthening regional stability by remaining our partner nations partner of choice. We also need to ensure rapid response to emerging threats and disrupt/defeat transregional threat networks. We are building strong partner nation and interagency communities of interest and networks in the theater. We are able to do this because of the great foundation the leaders and Soldiers who have gone before us have established. On our Army s 241st Birthday, we thank you for leading the way and setting us up for success. May 2-12, Peru hosted Fuerzas Comando 2 0 1 6. T h i s U. S. S o u t h e r n C o m m a n d - sponsored exercise which takes place under the responsibility of Special Operations Command South consists of a skills competition between 20 military and police Special Operations teams. This is a unique opportunity for participating nations of the Americas to improve their special operations capabilities, increase training readiness and further interoperability between countries. During this 13th Fuerzas Comando exercise Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos takes hold of the 1st place cup after the Colombian military team took top honors in the Fuerzas Comando 2016 competition in Peru for the fourth year in a row. Navy Adm. Kurt W. Tidd, commander of U.S. Southern Command, presents the second place trophy to the Honduran team during the Fuerzas Comando 2016 closing ceremony in Peru. Command Sgt. Maj. Dennis E. Defreese, commandant of the United States Army Sergeants Major Academy, presents a gift to the Brazilian delegation during their visit to Fort Bliss, Texas May 11. 1
top honors were taken by our Colombian partners. The program also included a friendship jump and a countering Terrorism Fellowship Program which includes two senior representatives from each nation with a focus on improving political and military relations and multinational cooperation. May 2-6, members of the U.S. Army South Provost Marshal s Office and New Hampshire Army National Guard military police (State Partnership Program) traveled to El Salvador for a visit with our Salvadoran Army military police counterparts. Alongside our partners, they assessed capabilities and developed a 5 - year plan to work together in an effort to strengthen capabilities. We came away with a plan to develop military police certifications and courses and train together in areas including riot control, border control, police intelligence operations, and respect for human rights. El Salvador is a strong partner as was displayed after the 9/11 terrorist attacks when they stood by the U.S. to become a part of Coalition Forces in the Middle East. Their effort continues today as they prepare to deploy Soldiers and helicopters in support of the U.N. mission in Mali. We engaged our Salvadoran Army legal partners when members of the U.S. Army South legal team traveled to El Salvador May 4-5. We discussed the Salvadoran Army s current legal structure and potential for future engagements between our Armies. We met with Col. Jose Ulises Calderon, one of three Salvadoran Army military judges, and provided an update on the Army s structure and processes. Based on this visit, we will be With the Colombian team after they took first place in the Fuerzas Comando 2016 competition in Peru. Military police from U.S. Army South, the New Hampshire Army National Guard and the Salvadoran Army pose for a photo during an engagement to find ways to mutually strengthen capabilities. Members of U.S. Army South s legal team in El Salvador with Salvadoran Army legal representatives. 2
able to develop a comprehensive plan to assist Salvadoran legal officers to effectively advise commanders on rule of law, human rights and operational law principles. May 17-19 we hosted our Salvadoran Army partners during the 10th annual Army -to- Army staff talks at our headquarters. We engaged with Col. Guillermo Adolfo Herrador Pena, the Salvadoran Army commander, and his staff and benefitted greatly with participants representing the U.S. Army T r a i n i n g a n d D o c t r i n e C o m m a n d ; Headquarters, Department of the Army; New Hampshire Army National Guard; Inter - American Air Forces Academy; Special Operations Command South; Department of Homeland Security Joint Task Force -West; and Department of State s International Narcotics Control and Law Enforcement Bureau. The talks concluded with an agreement to execute 23 activities over the next year including NCO d e v e l o p m e n t, c o m b i n e d t r a i n i n g o p p ortunities, a n d c ombat t i ng regional threats. May 15-24 Command Sgt. Maj. Carlos Olvera, the Army South command sergeant major, traveled to Kansas where he joined Colombian Sgt. Maj. of the Army Argemiro Posso Rivera and 19 students from Colombia s Joint Sergeants Major Academy who were attending the Brigade Pre -Command Course at Fort Leavenworth, Kan. A pillar of the Colombian Army s transformation to develop into a combined arms force capable of deploying world-wide alongside the U.S. is the development of their noncommissioned officer With Col. Guillermo Adolfo Herrador Pena, the Salvadoran Army commander, as he arrived at our headquarters for the 10th Annual U.S., El Salvador Army-to-Army staff talks. Dr. Bridget Gersten, Army South Foreign Policy Advisor (right), with Salvadoran Army Command Sgt. Maj. Santos Serrano during the U.S., El Salvador staff talks. Command Sgt. Maj. Carlos Olvera (center left) joins Command Sgt. Maj. William B. Zaiser (center right), U.S. Southern Command senior enlisted advisor, and other U.S. and Colombian command sergeants major at Fort Leavenworth, Kan. 3
corps. This visit gave Colombian Sergeants Major significant insight into the U.S. Army N C O s e n i o r e d u c a t i o n a n d t r a i n i n g r e q u i r e m e n t s a s s o c i a t e d w i t h c a r e e r progression. Brig. Gen. James Wong visited the Inter - American Defense College in Washington, D.C. to speak during their Industry Day. Jim provided an overview of U.S. Army South s mission and the importance of p a r t n e r i n g t h r o u g h T h e a t e r S e c u r i t y C o o p e r a t i o n e n g a g e m e n t s. P a r t n e r s i n attendance included Brazilian Brig. Gen. Guido Amin, chief of Brazilian Army Projects Management, and Argentinian Gen. (Retired) Julio A. Hang, director of the Institute of International Security and Strategic Affairs in Argentina and a former IADC graduate. This annual event is a great opportunity to interact with important groups of leaders from throughout Central and South America. Three IADC graduates later went on to become presidents while numerous others became cabinet members or senior flag grade officers. May 21 U.S. Army South was featured on KLUP 930 AM for their Military City USA radio show. We joined radio hosts Mark Frye and Kelley Crooks to discuss the U.S. Army South mission and its relationship with U.S. Southern Command and U.S. Army North, and partner nation Armies during the show. During the month of May the U.S. Army saw the official release of cutting -edge training software known as Disaster Sim. Led by Col. Michael Panko, Army South's chief of training and exercises, U.S. Army South joined forces with other Army organizations and the Brig. Gen. James Wong speaking at the Inter- American Defense College in Washington, D.C. With radio hosts Mark Frye (center) and Kelley Crooks (right) at the Salem Communications studio on KLUP 930 AM for their Military City USA radio show. U.S. Army South Sgt. 1st Class Anttwain E. Dobbins trains on Disaster Sim. The video game teaches Soldiers how to be part of a foreign disaster relief task force. 4
U.S. Agency for International Development to create a new video game to train Soldiers how to respond to foreign natural disasters. U.S. Army South is responsible for providing the core of a joint task force headquarters to deploy as part of a U.S. government response to disasters in Central America, South America and the Caribbean. This program will clearly help us as we move into the hurricane season. I d like to leave you with additional photos of the outstanding Special Forces members who participated in Fuerzas Comando 2016. We also have photos of community relation events Army South personnel participated in throughout the area. Many exciting things are taking place in June including welcoming our Brazilian partners here to San Antonio as Lt. Gen. Joarez Alves Peraira, Jr. and his delegation join us for the U.S, Brazilian staff talks. And of course, June 14 marks our Army s 241st birthday, a day we celebrate the Total Army Force comprised of multi - component Soldiers and Department of the Army Civilians and their contributions to national defense. Thank you for your continued support! Juntos Podemos! Bob Pelegreen, U.S. Army South Commander s Initiative Group, visits with Gen. Humberto Oviedo, Chilean Army commander, during the Special Operations Forces Industry Conference in Tampa, Fla. where Gen. Oviedo was presented the United States Special Operations Command Medal. Col. Guillermo Herrador (right), the El Salvador Army Commander, and his staff are recognized prior to a San Antonio Missions baseball game at Nelson W. Wolff Memorial Stadium. K.K. Chinn Major General, USA Commander, U.S. Army South News Link: Colombia Sergeants Major visit to Leavenworth Presenting the Legion of Merit to Col. Raul Benitez during his retirement ceremony May 20 at the Army South headquarters. 5
Lt. Gen. Gary Cheek shakes hands with Col. Greg Maxton upon presenting him with a Distinguished Service Medal during Maxton s retirement May 20. Brig. Gen. James Wong (center) at the University of Texas at San Antonio ROTC commissioning ceremony May 13 where he served as the keynote speaker. Congratulating Col. Tim Teague, Army South G-5 during his promotion ceremony at the command headquarters. Special Forces from 20 countries across Central and South America participated in Fuerzas Comando 2016. Spec. Wynn from Army South s Medical Directorate visits with children during a Career Day presentation at San Antonio s Booker T. Washington Elementary School in San Antonio. Col. James Dodson, the U.S. Army South chief of staff, presents the U.S. Army South command coin to 2nd Lt. David Puente during the University of Texas Rio Grande ROTC commissioning ceremony May 12. 6