Articles
U. S. Army Col. David Wolken assumes command of Joint Task Force- Bravo Medical Element, at Soto Cano Air Base, Honduras by accepting the guidon from U. S. Army Col. Kirk Dorr, the Joint Task Force-Bravo commander, June 30, 2014. Wolken assumed command from U. S. Army Lt. Col. Huy Luu. Joint Task Force-Bravo's MEDEL is composed of 64 Army personnel who have come together from across the United States and have provided medical care to more than 8,000 people in Honduras over the last 12 months. MEDEL provides preventative medical care, wellness check-ups, dental care, preventative dental care, surgical care, and physical therapy through local partnerships in Comayagua, Tegucigalpa, and through local Medical Readiness Training Exercises (MEDRETES) which are carried out on a weekly basis. MEDEL hosts many training opportunities with the country of Honduras to build strong partnerships between both countries. (Photo by Martin Chahin)

July 1, 2014

JTF-Bravo Medical Element Welcomes New Commander

SOTO CANO AIR BASE, Honduras — Joint Task Force-Bravo's Medical Element welcomed a new commander during a change of command ceremony June 30, 2014 at Soto Cano Air Base, Honduras. U. S. Army Col. David Wolken assumed command from U. S. Army Lt. Col. Huy Luu with U. S. Army Col. Kirk Dorr, Joint Task Force-Bravo commander, presiding. "It is an honor and a tremendous privilege to

U. S. Army Lt. Col. Huy Luu (left), Medical Element commander, gives a tour of the Medical Element to Mr. Alan Bersin, Department of Homeland Security Assistant Secretary of International Affairs and Chief Diplomatic Officer, along with U. S. Army Col. Kirk Dorr, JTF-Bravo commander. Mr. Bersin visited Joint Task Force-Bravo June 25, 2014, where he received a missions and capabilities brief and toured the Medical Element and other Soto Cano Air Base facilities. (Photo by Martin Chahin)

June 26, 2014

Joint Task Force-Bravo welcomes DHS Official

U. S. Army Col. Kirk C. Dorr assumes command of Joint Task Force- Bravo, at Soto Cano Air Base, Honduras by accepting the guidon from U. S. Marine Gen. John F. Kelly, the U.S. Southern Command commander June 23, 2014. Col. Dorr assumed command from U. S. Army Col. Thomas D. Boccardi. JTF-Bravo conducts a variety of missions in Central America from supporting U.S. Government operations to counter transnational crime to humanitarian assistance/disaster relief and building partner capacities. (Photo by U. S. Air National Guard Capt. Steven Stubbs)

June 24, 2014

Joint Task Force-Bravo welcomes new commander

SOTO CANO AIR BASE, Honduras — Joint Task Force-Bravo welcomed a new commander during a change of command ceremony June 23, 2014 on the base's parade ground. U. S. Army Col. Kirk C. Dorr assumed command from Army Col. Thomas D. Boccardi with U. S. Marine Gen. John F. Kelly, U.S. Southern Command commander, officiating. "I am truly thrilled to be here in Soto Cano and look

Nearly 130 members of Joint Task Force-Bravo, with the support of Joint Task Force-Bravo’s Joint Security Forces, completed a volunteer five mile round trip hike to deliver more than 4,000 pounds of food, supplies and clothing to families in need in the mountain village of Proterillos outside La Paz, Honduras, June 21, 2014. The effort was part of the 55th Joint Task Force-Bravo Chapel Hike, a venerable tradition during which the servicemembers donate money to purchase food and supplies and then carry them on a hike through the mountains to deliver to local, underserviced communities. (Photo by U. S. Air National Guard Capt. Steven Stubbs)

June 24, 2014

U. S. troops hike over 4,000 pounds of food, supplies, clothing to Honduras village

SOTO CANO AIR BASE, Honduras — Nearly 130 members of Joint Task Force-Bravo, with the support of Joint Task Force-Bravo's Joint Security Forces, completed a volunteer five mile round trip hike to deliver more than 4,000 pounds of food, supplies and clothing to families in need in the mountain village of Proterillos outside La Paz, Honduras, June 21, 2014.The effort was part of

Two U. S. Air Force servicemembers from the 612th Air Base Squadron, Joint Task Force-Bravo, Soto Cano Air Base, Honduras, unload over 29,000 pounds of humanitarian aid and supplies from a U. S. Air Force KC-10 Extender bound for Honduran citizens in need June 6, 2014. The supplies were sent to Honduras through the Denton Program, which allows private U.S. citizens and organizations to use space available on U.S. military cargo planes to transport humanitarian goods to approved countries in need. (Photo by Martin Chahin)

June 20, 2014

U. S. Airmen support Honduras humanitarian aid, Denton Program

SOTO CANO AIR BASE, Honduras — Joint Task Force-Bravo's 612th Air Base Squadron played a critical role in the distribution of more than 29,000 pounds of donated humanitarian supplies and equipment to organizations throughout Honduras, June 13, 2014.The supplies were sent to Honduras through the Denton Program, which allows private U.S. citizens and organizations to use space

U. S. Air Force Maj. Andres Lopez assumes command of the Joint Task Force-Bravo Joint Security Forces at Soto Cano Air Base, Honduras by accepting the guidon from U. S. Army Col. Thomas Boccardi, the Joint Task Force-Bravo commander, June 18, 2014. Lopez assumed command from outgoing commander U. S. Air Force Maj. Robert Shaw, Jr. The mission of Joint Security Forces is to conduct installation security and provide security support for personnel recovery, search and rescue, counter-terrorism, counter-narcotics terrorism, disaster response, noncombatant evacuation order, and humanitarian/civic assistance in support of Joint Task Force-Bravo theater-wide operations. (Photo by Martin Chahin)

June 19, 2014

Joint Security Forces' new commander; unit takes charge

SOTO CANO AIR BASE, Honduras — The Joint Task Force-Bravo Joint Security Forces welcomed a new commander during a change of command ceremony June 18, 2014 at Soto Cano Air Base, Honduras. U. S. Air Force Maj. Andres Lopez assumed command from U. S. Air Force Maj. Robert Shaw, Jr. with U. S. Army Col. Thomas Boccardi, Joint Task Force-Bravo commander, presiding. "When I found out

U. S. Army Lt. Col. Nicholas Dickson assumes command of the Army Forces Battalion at Soto Cano Air Base, Honduras by accepting the guidon from U. S. Army Col. Thomas Boccardi, the Joint Task Force-Bravo commander, June 16, 2014. Nicholson assumed command from outgoing commander U. S. Army Lt. Col. Alan McKewan. Army Forces Battalion is an expeditionary force ready to deploy as a resilient, integrated team capable of conducting administrative and logistical support for Joint Task Force-Bravo missions within Central America in order to counter illicit trafficking, support foreign humanitarian assistance/disaster relief and build partner nation capacity. (Photo by Martin Chahin)

June 18, 2014

Army Forces Battalion welcomes new commander

SOTO CANO AIR BASE, Honduras — The Army Forces Battalion welcomed a new commander during a change of command ceremony June 16, 2014 at Soto Cano Air Base, Honduras. U. S. Army Lt. Col. Nicholas Dickson assumed command from U. S. Army Lt. Col. Alan McKewan with U. S. Army Col. Thomas Boccardi, Joint Task Force-Bravo commander, presiding. "I am truly blessed to be in this position

U. S. Army Lt. Col. Shane Mendenhall assumes command of the 1-228th Aviation Regiment at Soto Cano Air Base, Honduras by accepting the guidon from U. S. Army Col. Thomas Boccardi, the Joint Task Force-Bravo commander, June 16, 2014. Mendenhall assumed command from outgoing commander U. S. Army Lt. Col. E. J. Irvin, II. The 1-228th Aviation Regiment, under U. S. Army South, has directly supported the U. S. Southern Command's engagement and security cooperation strategy. This one-of-a-kind battalion provides heavy lift, medical evacuation, general aviation and VIP support spanning the area of responsibility in support of Joint Task Force-Bravo. The regiment has actively participated in counter narcotics missions and humanitarian assistance/disaster relief support throughout Central America. (Photo by Martin Chahin)

June 18, 2014

1-228th Aviation Regiment welcomes new commander

SOTO CANO AIR BASE, Honduras — The 1st Battalion, 228th Aviation Regiment welcomed a new commander during a change of command ceremony June 16, 2014 at Soto Cano Air Base, Honduras. U. S. Army Lt. Col. Shane Mendenhall assumed command from U. S. Army Lt. Col. E. J. Irvin, II with U. S. Army Col. Thomas Boccardi, Joint Task Force-Bravo commander, presiding. "On the first

Cynthia Barrigan (left), Telemedicine & Advanced Technology Research Center (TATRC) portfolio manager, communicates with a Spanish-speaking hurricane victim using the Medical Application of Speech Translation (MAST) while U. S. Army 1st Lt. Jewell Hemmings, MEDEL community health nurse, scans the patient's armband with the Global MedAid program. In preparation for the 2014 hurricane season, the Joint Task Force-Bravo Medical Element (MEDEL) conducted a humanitarian assistance/disaster response (HA/DR) exercise at Soto Cano Air Base, Honduras June 12, 2014. The MEDEL's mission was to establish a forward medical treatment operation capable of providing triage, primary care, surgical capabilities, patient holding and evacuation. As part of this exercise, a suite of mobile technology applications that run on smartphones and tablets were used to enhance the capabilities of the unit: Global MedAid, Medical Application of Speech Translation (MAST) and GeoSHAPE. (Photo by U. S. Air National Guard Capt. Steven Stubbs)

June 13, 2014

U.S. military medical unit integrates new technology in hurricane response exercise

SOTO CANO AIR BASE, Honduras — In preparation for the 2014 hurricane season, the Joint Task Force-Bravo Medical Element (MEDEL) conducted a humanitarian assistance/disaster response (HADR) exercise June 12, 2014. The MEDEL's mission was to establish a forward medical treatment operation capable of providing triage, primary care, surgical capabilities, patient holding and

U. S. Army Sgt. Louis Padilla (left), Sgt. Francisco Padilla and Staff Sgt. Patrick Trevillion, instructors from the Army South Geospatial Planning Cell, prepare the Automated Route Reconnaissance Kit (ARRK) for an aerial route recon mission. The Joint Task Force-Bravo U. S. Southern Command Situational Assessment Team (SSAT) received training and performed practical exercises with the ARRK in preparation for future Central American disaster relief missions. It employs a ruggedized laptop computer to automatically and continuously collect road information and condition to provide situational awareness and facilitate the decision making process. (Photo by U. S. Air National Guard Capt. Steven Stubbs)

June 12, 2014

U.S. military assessment team trains for future Central America disaster relief missions

SOTO CANO AIR BASE, Honduras — The Joint Task Force-Bravo U. S. Southern Command Situational Assessment Team (SSAT) received training and performed practical exercises with the Automated Route Reconnaissance Kit (ARRK) from the Army South Geospatial Planning Cell this week in preparation for future disaster relief missions in Central America.The ARRK employs a ruggedized laptop