Beyond the Horizon and New Horizons are U.S. Southern Command-sponsored, joint foreign military interaction/humanitarian exercises.  During the exercises, U.S. troops work with a variety of governmental and non-governmental agencies to train in civil-military operations skill sets while providing medical and dental care and engineering support to local populations. 

The exercises are planned and coordinated closely with multiple agencies and host nation governments to creatively address the level and scope of medical care and engineering assistance required.

U.S. Army South is the executive agent for the Beyond the Horizon exercise in Guatemala.  The New Horizons exercise in the Dominican Republic is led by U.S. Air Forces Southern.

Deploying U.S. Personnel

Hundreds of U.S. service members, representing National Guard, Active and Reserve forces from all services will be in the Dominican Republic and Guatemala at any one time during each exercise. The vast majority of personnel deployed for short periods of time, not including long-term staff.

The make-up of the forces are is primarily U.S. military engineers and medical professionals.

Beyond the Horizon and New Horizons require units to carefully plan and conduct logistical operations to support these deployments to remote regions.  Such mobilization and real-world execution provides unparalleled training that cannot be simulated in the United States.

About the Medical Services Provided

U.S. military health care professionals will conduct multiple Medical Readiness Training Exercises (MEDRETEs) in each country, working with host nation medical personnel to provide general and specialized medical and dental services to thousands of citizens requiring care. These services include public health and preventive medicine, dental care, adult and pediatric medicine, medical education, immunizations, and nutritional counseling.

The exercises also include veterinarian care, a vital service that ensures the safety of valuable food sources and helps prevent diseases that could be passed from animals and livestock to a population.

The training events enhance the medical readiness training of U.S. forces and provide sustained health benefits to the population.  Additionally, the relationships forged during these exercises can be called upon in the event of a regional situation that requires a cooperative response.

Background

Beyond the Horizon is a joint foreign military interaction/humanitarian exercise.  Begun in 2008, Beyond the Horizon continues U.S. Southern Command's proud legacy of humanitarian civic assistance exercise programs in the region.

New Horizons is an annual series of joint and combined humanitarian assistance exercises that U.S. Southern Command conducts in Latin American and Caribbean nations. Since New Horizons began in the mid-1980s, U.S. troops have deployed annually for the exercise.

The governments of each participating nation, the U.S. Department of State, and Department of Defense carefully evaluate and approve these exercises.

 

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