Articles
COMASAGUA, El Salvador ? Air Force Major Paul Miller examines a Salvadoran girl May 7 at a school near Comasagua, El Salvador during Fuerzas Aliadas Humanitarias 2008, the U.S. Southern Command and Salvadoran Ministry of Defense-sponsored exercise held throughout the Central American region May 5-15. The medical readiness training exercise allowed Joint Task Force-Bravo to deploy a medical team to perform real-world medical care during the disaster planning and operations-focused exercise. (U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. William Farrow)

May 12, 2008

Joint Task Force-Bravo deploys to El Salvador, performs humanitarian mission with different agencies

COMASAGUA, El Salvador — United States servicemembers from Joint Task Force-Bravo deployed to El Salvador for a regional disaster exercise performed expeditionary medical care during a two-day long emergency medical readiness training exercise May 7-8. Designated Fuerzas Aliadas Humanitarias 2008, the U.S. Southern Command and Salvadoran Ministry of Defense-sponsored

Air Force Capt. Manny Silveira, a Joint Task Force-Bravo participant in the Bay Islands Triathlon, climbs a hill during the bike portion of the competition May 5. Twenty-eight JTF-Bravo personnel competed in the event with all completing the race.

May 9, 2008

JTF-Bravo team participates in Bay Islands Triathlon

SOTO CANO AIR BASE, Honduras — A team from Joint Task Force-Bravo traveled from Soto Cano Air Base, Honduras, to Roatan Island to participate in the Bay Islands Triathlon May 5. Out of the 28 participants, 22 placed in events at the race, including six first-place finishes (including the relay team), nine second-place finishes and five in third place. All participants finished

COMALAPA AIR BASE, El Salvador - Spec. Harlan Nemmers, crew chief, waits as pilot Chief Warrant Officer Emile Eckart (right) and co-pilot Chief Warrant Officer Shamus Kirschbaum run through systems checks prior to taking off May 6 for Fuerzas Aliadas Humanitarias 2008, a disaster relief exercise. (U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. William Farrow)

May 8, 2008

JTF-Bravo aviators fly casualty evacuation mission

COMALAPA AIR BASE, El Salvador — Army aviators from Joint Task Force-Bravo, contributing to a regional disaster exercise May 6, landed their helicopter on a 3,000 foot high mountaintop in the outskirts of San Salvador while transporting rescued civilians to awaiting emergency vehicles. Flying a UH-60 Blackhawk, the JTF-Bravo crew set their helicopter on a site used for the search

Lt. Col. Anthony C. Butts takes the 612th Air Base Squadron guidon from Col. Mark W. Mouw, 612th Theater Operations Group commander, during a change of command ceremony May 7 at Soto Cano Air Base, Honduras. The former 612th ABS commander, Lt. Col. Randall L. Vogel, moves to his new assignement as 55th Operations Group deputy commander, Offutt Air Force Base, Neb. The 612th ABS provides a 24-hour, all weather C-5 capable airfield, base operations support, air traffic control, weather, crash fire rescue, logistics and base civil engineers to support theater-wide United States Southern Command operations. (U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. John Asselin)

May 7, 2008

Lt. Col. Anthony Butts takes command of 612th Air Base Squadron in Honduras

From the grounds of a collapsed and abandoned coffee factory, Joint Task Force-Bravo civil engineers Air Force Tech. Sgt. Mike Vaughn and Army Capt. Sarah Williams set up a field video teleconferencing unit to send imagery gathered here to the United States to assist with the exercise Fuerzas Aliadas Humanitarias 2008, a regional disaster relief exercise involving military and civilian agencies occurring here May 5-15. By capturing imagery of damage from a 2001 earthquake, participants in the exercise have a simulated yet realistic view of damage to help them make accurate decisions regarding the relief process. (U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. William Farrow)

May 6, 2008

Joint Task Force-Bravo team enhances exercise with imagery

COMALAPA AIR BASE, El Salvador — Using a reconnaissance system originally developed for conducting ground combat reconnaissance missions, two Joint Task Force-Bravo civil engineers provided damage assessment for humanitarian purposes during a regional disaster relief exercise involving military and civilian agencies here May 5. Flying aboard a JTF-Bravo UH-60 Blackhawk helicopter,

Army Lt. Col. Gregory Jicha, Joint Task Force-Bravo Army Forces commander, receives the Honduran Medal of Merit First Class from Honduran Chief of Defense, General de Division Romeo Orlando Vasquez Velasquez, during a ceremony May 5 in Tegucigalpa Honduras.

May 6, 2008

JTF-Bravo troops presented Honduran medals of merit

TEGUCIGALPA, Honduras — Three Joint Task Force-Bravo personnel received the Honduran Medal of Merit May 5 for the work they've done in partnership with Honduras over the past year. The Honduran Chief of Defense, General de Division Romeo Orlando Vasquez Velasquez, presented Army Lt. Col. Gregory Jicha, Army Forces commander, and Air Force Lt. Col. Randall Vogel, 612th Air

Members of Joint Task Force-Bravo unload a UH-60 helicopter at Comalapa Air Base, El Salvador May 4 in preparation for Fuerzas Aliadas Humanitarias 2008, the U.S. Southern Command and Salvadoran Ministry of Defense-sponsored disaster relief exercise. (U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. William Farrow)

May 6, 2008

JTF-Bravo deploys in support of regional disaster relief exercise

COMALAPA AIR BASE, El Salvador — A forward deployed team of more than 20 Joint Task Force-Bravo Soldiers and Airmen set up shop here May 4 to support a regional disaster relief exercise involving military and civilian agencies from throughout the Western Hemisphere. Designated Fuerzas Aliadas Humanitarias 2008, the U.S. Southern Command and Salvadoran Ministry of Defense-sponsored

LAGUNA DEL RINCON, Honduras - Lt. Col. Shannon L. Sutherland files down points on the molar teeth of a horse. Veterinarians, like Colonel Sutherland, provide basic medical and dental care to dogs, cats and livestock during daylong visits to this and other remote Honduran villages. U.S. military medical personnel are in Honduras for the joint training exercise Beyond the Horizon. The event provides medical attention, as well as infrastructure renovation, to rural areas in this Central American country. (Photo by Sgt. Claude W. Flowers, 304th Public Affairs Detachment.)

May 1, 2008

Army Veterinarians: Helping animals, people

LAGUNA DEL RINCON, Honduras — The people living in remote Honduran mountain villages own many animals, but they don't keep many pets. Looking at the dogs, cats, and horses that she administered medication to, Army Reserve Sgt. Mitzi L. Porter of the 993rd Medical Detachment (Veterinary Services) of Aurora, Colorado, said, "They're really working animals. If somebody comes up to

Army 1st. Lt. Robert Judge from the 509th Airborne Battalion checks the parachute equipment of a Honduran soldier before a combined jump with U.S. and Honduran military members April 30. The jump was the final event of a week-long Key Leader Exchange. (U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. John Asselin)

May 1, 2008

U.S., Honduran soldiers exchange ideas during combined airborne operation

SOTO CANO AIR BASE, Honduras — Soldiers from Ft. Polk, La., finished more than a week of training with Honduran soldiers with a combined airborne operation here April 30. The 27 soldiers from the 1-509th Airborne Battalion jumped with 22 Honduran "paracaidistas" throughout the morning from a Joint Task Force-Bravo UH-60 Blackhawk helicopter, according to Maj. Michael Angell, one

LAS MESAS, HON - Officer Candidate, Staff Sgt. Martin Berta, 322nd Engineer Company, Decorah, Iowa, explains to Honduran army engineers how the newly laid septic tank functions here April 16. Photo by Staff Sgt. Danny McCormick, Beyond the Horizon public affairs.

May 1, 2008

Engineers Continue Beyond the Horizon Construction Exercise

SOTO CANO AIR BASE, Honduras — Construction resumed in earnest April 14, as rotation two continued to work on the projects that the first rotation of U.S. Army engineers had started at several sites around the Comayagua and La Paz areas as part of the joint nation, joint service exercise Beyond the Horizon 2008. In the city of Comayagua, members of the 322nd Engineer Company of