Articles
Members of the Honduran and U.S. militaries kick off 2016 Camaraderie Day with a “fun walk” to warm up for the day’s sporting events that included track and field, volleyball, a bike race and soccer, at Soto Cano Air Base, Honduras, May 5, 2016. The day was designed to celebrate the partnership between the armed forces of the U.S. and Honduras through friendly competition. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Siuta B. Ika)

May 10, 2016

US, Honduran militaries connect, compete during Camaraderie Day

A sign welcomes the 158 U.S. service members and civilians from Joint Task Force-Bravo to Montaña La Oki, a small village located in the mountains east of Comayagua, Honduras, where 172 families awaited the arrival of the participants of Chapel Hike 67 and the 3,000 pounds of food they carried 3.4 miles up the mountain April 30, 2016. In addition to the ton-and-a-half of food, which was packed into 150 bags containing 20 pounds apiece by volunteers two nights prior to the trek, many hikers brought their own additional treats and toys to give to the dozens of children they met at the top of the mountain, which was 4,406 feet above sea level. Chapel Hikes are designed to provide a practical way for JTF-Bravo members to engage and partner with local communities to provide support to surrounding villages in need of food and supplies. (U.S. Air Force photo by Capt. David Liapis/Released)

May 6, 2016

JTF-Bravo personnel deliver food, smiles to Honduran village during chapel hike

SOTO CANO AIR BASE, Honduras — One hundred and fifty-eight military and civilian members of Joint Task Force-Bravo and half a dozen volunteer firefighters from the local area hiked 7.4 miles roundtrip to deliver 3,000 pounds of food to 172 families of Montaña La Oki, a small village located in the mountains east of Comayagua, Honduras, during chapel hike 67, April 30, 2016.

Guatemalan families wait outside a local church to receive a preventive health class during a Medical Readiness Training Exercise in Jocotán, Chiquimula, Guatemala, April 29, 2016. After concluding the initial class, patients receive soap, vitamins and de-worming medication, and then pass on to the screeners and medical providers. (U.S. Army photo by Maria Pinel)

May 5, 2016

JTF-Bravo Medical Element performs first cross-border MEDRETE to help those in need

COPÁN, Honduras — Service members from the Joint Task Force-Bravo Medical Element traveled to the western region of Honduras and eastern Guatemala to partner with the two nations' Armies and Ministries of Health for a two-day Medical Readiness Training Exercise, in the rural communities of Ostumán in Copán, Honduras, and Jocotán in Chiquimula, Guatemala, April 28 -

Army Forces Battalion, Headquarters Support Company Service Members, assigned to Joint Task Force-Bravo, at Soto Cano Air Base, Honduras, load a CH-47 Chinook helicopter, assigned to the 1st battalion, 228th Aviation Regiment, in preparation for a three-day deployment to validate their role as a SOUTHCOM Situational Assessment Team, April 25, 2016. The 11-member S-SAT team traveled to Puerto Castilla, Honduras, where they participated in a portion of an Army SOUTH-hosted exercise called Fuerzas Aliadas Humanitarias, which is an annual event that tests the abilities of Caribbean and Central American nations to respond to a natural disaster or humanitarian crisis. (U.S. Army photo by Frederick Hoyt/Released)

May 3, 2016

SOUTHCOM Situational Assessment Team validates response capabilities

Soldiers from Joint Task Force-Bravo pose for group photo with Roger W. Dickerson, an Army North Sexual Harassment/Assault Response (SHARP) instructor from Fort Sam Houston, Texas, after completing an 80-hour SHARP certification course at Soto Cano Airbase, Honduras, April 14, 2016. Soldiers that graduated from the course will now take leadership in coordinating and managing the JTF-B installation advocacy program while providing direct advocacy support to victims of sexual harassment and sexual assault. (U.S. Air Force photo by Lt. Col. James M. Trachier)

April 27, 2016

Soldiers graduate from SHARP Victim Advocate certification training

SOTO CANO AIR BASE, Honduras — Soldiers from accompanying units, under the command of Joint Task Force-Bravo, kicked off Sexual Assault Awareness Prevention Month and attended the Sexual Harassment/Assault Response (SHARP) Victim Advocate certification training course held at Soto Cano Air Base,  April 4 to 15, 2016.The victim advocate certification course was instructed by

Firefighters from seven Central American nations participate in live-fire training, one of many exercises the 34 participants experienced during a week-long iteration of CENTAM SMOKE (Sharing Mutual Operational Knowledge and Experience) at Soto Cano Air Base, Honduras, April 20, 2016. Joint Task Force-Bravo has trained 866 firefighters from Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Panama, and Belize since 2005, providing an opportunity for U.S. and Central American firefighters to work as one, building collaborative relationships as partner nations and allowing those involved to take valuable lessons back to their countries. Some Honduran firefighters who attended previous iterations of CENTAM SMOKE recently put what they learned to the test while fighting wildfires near Tela, Honduras. (U.S. Air Force Photo by Capt. David Liapis/Released)

April 25, 2016

Building teamwork with Central American firefighters

SOTO CANO AIR BASE, Honduras — Joint Task Force-Bravo hosted firefighters from Belize, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica and Panama for the Central America Sharing Mutual Operational Knowledge and Experience exercise, April 18 -22, 2016, at Soto Cano Air Base, Honduras.The latest iteration of CENTAM SMOKE included 34 firefighters participating in strenuous

Members of the 1st Battalion, 228th Aviation Regiment, Soto Cano Air Base, Honduras, prepare a UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter for flight in the Arraiján District of Panama, April 17, 2016. The 1-228th AVN was in Panama to support Panamanian Public Forces firefighting operations in the Darién Province, where wildfires had been burning since April 4. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Siuta B. Ika)

April 22, 2016

JTF-Bravo firefighting ops wrap up in Panama

DARIÉN PROVINCE, Panama — Members of Joint Task Force-Bravo partnered with Panamanian Public Forces to contain multiple life-threatening wildfires here, April 17 and 18.The fires, which are believed to have started April 4, grew exponentially, prompting the Government of Panama, via the U.S. Embassy in Panama, to request an aerial support package from JTF-B consisting of

A UH-60 Blackhawk assigned to the 1st Battalion, 228th Aviation Regiment, Joint Task Force Bravo at Soto Cano Air Base, Honduras, prepares to land aboard the USS Lassen during deck landing qualifications off the coast of Honduras, April 14, 2016. Achieving and maintaining deck landing qualifications ensures flight crews are mission ready to support any humanitarian assistance, disaster relief or other contingency operations. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Siuta B. Ika)

April 18, 2016

Joint Task Force-Bravo pilots complete DLQs on USS Lassen

USS LASSEN, At Sea — U.S. Army pilots with the 1st Battalion, 228th Aviation Regiment successfully completed annual deck landing qualifications for two of their UH-60 Blackhawk helicopters aboard the Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Lassen (DDG 82), April 14.The helicopters, based out of Soto Cano Air Base, Honduras, participated in the DLQs, giving the

U.S. Army Staff Sgt. King David, 1st Battalion, 228th Aviation Regiment CH-47 Chinook Crew Chief, secures a “Bambi Bucket” in a CH-47 helicopter in preparation for Joint Task Force-Bravo personnel to assist with firefighting efforts in Panama April 15, 2016 at Soto Cano Air Base, Honduras. The Bambi Bucket holds up to 2000 gallons of water and allows fire suppression in areas inaccessible by land. (U.S. Army Photo by Martin Chahin/Released)

April 18, 2016

Joint Task Force-Bravo provides firefighting assistance to Panama

SOTO CANO AIR BASE, Honduras — Service members from Joint Task Force-Bravo began providing support to the Panamanian government, at the request of the U.S. Embassy in Panama, in a combined effort to suppress and contain a wildfire in the Darién province April 16, 2016.Small wildfires have emerged in the areas since April 4, but have rapidly spread in the past days, becoming a

Servicemembers from the 612th Air Base Squadron Fire Department pose for a group photo after completing an Air Advisor course taught by Mr. Greg Kruse (far left), Mr. Dave Enriquez (left), and Mr. Joe Allred (far right), United States Air Force Expeditionary Center instructors April 1, 2016, at Soto Cano Air Base, Honduras. The course included diverse lessons such as Mesoamerican Religions, Foreign Disclosure, Cross Cultural Communications & Negotiations, and Public Affairs, as part of previous preparation to the Central America Sharing Mutual Operational Knowledge and Experiences exercise hosted by Joint Task Force-Bravo that involves firefighters from all across Central America. (U.S. Army photo by Maria Pinel/Released)

April 13, 2016

Commentary: 612th Air Base Squadron prepares for multi-national training exercise

SOTO CANO AIR BASE, Honduras — Firefighters from the 612th Air Base Squadron prepared to host 35 firefighters from the seven Central American nations, for the upcoming event Central America Sharing Mutual Operational Knowledge and Experiences at Soto Cano Air Base from April 18 - 22, 2016.Better known as CENTAM SMOKE, the exercise challenges firefighters' techniques, procedures