Frequently Asked Questions

Use the drop down menu below to view our frequently Asked Questions section. If you require further assistance, please contact the JTF-Bravo Public Affairs office at southcom.sotocano.jtfb-pao.mbx.jtf-b-public-affairs-office@mail.mil

If you have a general military question, please refer to the Department of Defense Frequently Asked Questions page.

For consular information please visit the Embassy links below:
U.S. Embassy in Honduras
U.S. Embassy in Guatemala
U.S. Embassy in El Salvador
U.S. Embassy in Nicaragua
U.S. Embassy in Costa Rica
U.S Embassy in Belize
U.S. Embassy in Panama

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Frequently Asked Questions

How can my country ask for JTF-Bravo’s help after a disaster?
The request for assistance from Joint Task Force-Bravo in the event of a major disaster must be submitted through U.S. government authorities.

The process for JTF-Bravo to get involved is something like this:

1. Disaster happens
2. Host nation responds
3. Host nation request assistance from international community
4. If the host nation is overwhelmed and has requested and will accept U.S. government help, the U.S. ambassador (U.S. Department of State) can validate the emergency by issuing a disaster declaration.
5. If a disaster declaration is issued, the U.S. Agency for International Development Office of U.S. Foreign Disaster Assistance will respond as the lead federal agency.
6. If further assistance is needed, the U.S. Department of State can request assistance from the Department of Defense.
7. If the Department of Defense approves the request for assistance, then the order is tasked to U.S. Southern Command who in turn tasks JTF-Bravo to respond.

JTF-Bravo has a limited ability to respond if lives are in danger, but unless there is an immediate need to save lives, JTF-Bravo cannot respond on its own if the proper requests have not been made through the U.S. government.

What is the difference between JTF-Bravo and Soto Cano?

Joint Task Force Bravo is a joint military unit comprised of approximately 600 U.S. Airmen, Soldier, Sailors and Marines and 600 U.S. and Honduran civilians.

JTF-Bravo operates on Soto Cano Air Base, located in Palmerola, Comayagua, central Honduras, which is a Honduran military installation and home to the Honduran Air Force Academy.

As guests of the Honduran government, service members assigned to JTF-Bravo share Soto Cano Air Base with the Honduran Air Force and Army. Both Honduran and U.S. troops also live and work on the base.

What is the structure of JTF-Bravo?

JTF-Bravo is composed of approximately 600 U.S. military members from the Army, Air Force, Navy and Marine Corps. The U.S. forces on base are divided into various units, all of which support the JTF-Bravo commander. The units are the 1st Battalion, 228th Aviation Regiment; the 612th Air Base Squadron; Joint Security Forces; Army Forces Battalion and the Medical Element.

The 1-228th is an Army aviation unit that has both UH-60 Black Hawk and CH-47 Chinook helicopters. The unit flies missions supporting counter-narcotics operations, aero-medical evacuation and humanitarian assistance missions.

The 612th ABS is an Air Force unit responsible for maintenance and support of the airfield, which has the largest runway in Honduras. The 612th ABS shares air traffic control duties with Honduran authorities.

JSF is responsible for law enforcement, security and force protection for U.S. government personnel, facilities, equipment and resources on Soto Cano Air Base.

ARFOR conducts and supports humanitarian assistance; personnel recovery; counter narcotics training; and combined, joint and interagency operations and training such as airborne operations.

MEDEL provides health service and support for U.S. forces stationed at Soto Cano from basic to trauma care, and maintains a Mobile Surgical Team capable of conducting basic surgeries in remote conditions.

In addition to each unit's primary tasks, every unit partners with Central American countries to conduct joint training and exercises.

Why is Joint Task Force Bravo in Honduras?

Joint Task Force Bravo operates on Soto Cano Air Base, a Honduran military installation, located in central Honduras. JTF-Bravo's mission is to build partnerships with Honduras and other Central American countries to foster security, stability and prosperity for the Americas.

JTF-Bravo conducts a variety of missions in Central and South America from countering transnational organized crime, to humanitarian assistance/disaster relief and building partner capacities.

The Caribbean, Central America, South America and the U.S. share common interests and security concerns. JTF-Bravo is committed to promoting our mutual interest of security and progress, as reflected in our motto, "Progress Through Unity."

Preguntas frecuentes en Español

¿Cómo puede mi país solicitar apoyo a la Fuerza de Tarea Conjunta-Bravo en caso de un desastre?
La solicitud de asistencia de la Fuerza de Tarea Conjunta-Bravo en caso de un desastre natural debe ser sometida por medio de una entidad de gobierno de los EE.UU.

El proceso sería algo similar a lo siguiente:

1. Sucede un desastre
2. La nación anfitriona responde
3. La nación anfitriona solicita apoyo de la comunidad internacional.
4. Si la nación solicita y acepta apoyo del gobierno de los EE.UU., el embajador de los EE.UU. (Departamento de Estado de los EE.UU.) validara la emergencia emitiendo una declaración de desastre
5. Si la declaración de desastre es emitida, la Oficina de Asistencia de desastres de la Agencia de Desarrollo Internacional de los EE.UU. responderá como agencia federal líder
6. Si se necesita más asistencia, el Departamento de Estado de los EE.UU. podrá solicitar asistencia al Departamento de Defensa
7. Si el Departamento de Defensa lo aprueba, se emite la orden hacia el Comando Sur de los EE.UU. quien ordenara a la Fuerza de Tarea Conjunta-Bravo.

La FTC-Bravo tiene una habilidad limitada de responder si hay vidas en peligro, pero a menos que exista una necesidad inmediata de salvar una vida, la fuerza de tarea no puede responder por si sola si no se ha hecho la solicitud por la entidad de gobierno correspondiente.

¿Cuál es la diferencia entre la Fuerza de Tarea Conjunta Bravo y Soto Cano?

La Fuerza de Tarea Conjunta-Bravo es una unidad conjunta, formada por aproximadamente 600 pilotos, soldados, marineros e infantes de la marina estadounidense y 600 civiles estadounidenses y hondureños.

La FTC-Bravo opera desde la Base Aérea Soto Cano, ubicada en Palmerola, Comayagua, en el centro de Honduras, la cual es una instalación militar hondureña donde funciona la Academia Militar de Aviación de Honduras.

Como huéspedes del gobierno de Honduras, los miembros estadounidenses asignados a la FTC-Bravo comparten la Base Aérea Soto Cano con la Academia Militar de Aviación y el Ejército de Honduras. Ambas tropas estadounidenses y hondureñas viven y trabajan dentro de la base.

¿Cuál es la estructura de la Fuerza de Tarea Conjunta-Bravo?

La fuerza de tarea está dividida en distintos comandos de apoyo. Estos comandos de apoyo son:

- 1er Batallon, 228 Regimiento de Aviacion
- 612 Escuadron de Base Aerea
- Fuerzas de Seguridad Conjuntas
- Batallon de Fuerzas del Ejercito
- Elemento Medico

Adicionalmente a las tareas primarias de cada comando de apoyo, cada uno de ellos participa en ejercicios y entrenamientos en conjunto con sus contrapartes en Centro América.

¿Por qué esta la Fuerza de Tarea Conjunta-Bravo en Honduras?

La Fuerza de Tarea Conjunta-Bravo opera desde la Base Aérea Soto Cano, una instalación militar hondureña, ubicada en el centro de Honduras. La misión de la FTC-Bravo es desarrollar las capacidades de las naciones compañeras en Centro América para mejorar la seguridad, estabilidad y prosperidad de las Américas.

La FTC-Bravo realiza una variedad de misiones por toda Centro y Sur América que varía desde operaciones de combate al crimen organizado transnacional, hasta asistencia humanitaria y el desarrollo de las capacidades en conjunto.

El Caribe, América Central, América del Sur, y los Estados Unidos, comparten intereses en común y preocupaciones de seguridad. La FTC-Bravo está comprometida a promover esos interese mutuos de seguridad y progreso, tal como lo refleja nuestro lema de "Progreso por medio de la Unidad."

What is the purpose of the Freedom of Information Act program?

What is the purpose of the FOIA program?
Purpose of the FOIA Program

The public has a right to information concerning the activities of its Government. Department of Defense policy is to conduct its activities in an open manner and provide the public with a maximum amount of accurate and timely information concerning its activities, consistent always with the legitimate public and private interests of the American people.

A record requested by a member of the public who follows rules established by proper authority in the DOD shall not be withheld in whole or in part unless the record is exempt from mandatory partial or total disclosure under the FOIA. As a matter of policy, DoD Components shall make discretionary disclosures of exempt records or information whenever disclosure would not foreseeably harm an interest protected by a FOIA exemption, but this policy does not create any right enforceable in court.

In order that the public may have timely information concerning DoD activities, records requested through public information channels by news media representatives that would not be withheld if requested under the FOIA should be released upon request. Prompt responses to requests for information from news media representatives should be encouraged to eliminate the need for these requesters to invoke the provisions of the FOIA and thereby assist in providing timely information to the public. Similarly, requests from other members of the public for information that would not be withheld under the FOIA should continue to be honored through appropriate means without requiring the requester to invoke the FOIA.

DoD Policy

It is DoD policy to make records publicly available, unless the record qualifies under one or more of the nine exemptions and/or under one of the three exclusions.

FOIA Processing Time Limits

Once an agency receives a correct FOIA request; it has 20 working days to make a determination on the request.

In unusual circumstances, an agency will request an extension from the requester in writing why it needs the extension and when it will make a determination on the request.

When a Component has a significant number of pending request that prevents are response determination being made within 20 working days, the requests shall be processed in a multitrack processing system, based on the date of receipt, the amount of work and time involved in processing the requests.
FOIA Requestor Appeal Rights

-- Requestors have the right to appeal all denial decisions
-- Appeals must be submitted within 60 days of the Initial Denial Letter
-- Appeals must be sent through the office that initially denied the information

How do I submit requests for information under the Freedom of Information Act?

FOIA requests are submitted by private citizens; members should not use government equipment, supplies, stationery, or official mail channels, including e-mail, to make or follow-up on FOIA requests.

Requests for JTF-Bravo records under the FOIA should be submitted, in writing, to:

JTF-Bravo
Attn: J6
Unit A62
APO AA 34042-5718

For additional information, you may call the JTF-Bravo J6 at the following numbers:

DSN: 312-449-4259
CML: 011-504-234-4634 Ext. 4259

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