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A representative of the Salvadoran Ministry of Health administers anti-parasitic medication to a young boy as his mother holds the child during a Medical Civil Action Program (MEDCAP) here. The boy was one of more than 1,300 patients seen during a two-day medical mission offering residents affected by November flooding and mudslides the opportunity to receive medical care, immunizations, education, and prescription drugs free of charge. It was a combined effort between the Salvadoran government, the U.S. Embassy in El Salvador, and U.S. Southern Command’s Joint Task Force-Bravo – based at Soto Cano Air Base, Honduras. (U.S. Air Force photo/Tech. Sgt. Mike Hammond)

Dec. 15, 2009

Medical mission concludes in flood-affected El Salvador; more than 1,300 treated

EL ACHIOTAL, El Salvador — More than 1,300 residents of two communities affected by devastating flooding and mudslides received free medical care in El Salvador during a two-day Medical Civil Action Program (MEDCAP) Dec. 14-15, 2009. The medical treatment was provided through a partnership between the government of El Salvador, the U.S. Embassy and Military Group in El

Members of the Hernandez family gather in front of the remains of Carla Hernandez’ home in San Agustin, El Salvador, Dec. 14, 2009. November flooding and mudslides claimed more than 100 lives and displaced many more residents. A combined Medical Civil Action Program (MEDCAP) coordinated between U.S. and El Salvadoran officials is providing free medical care to residents of affected areas today and tomorrow. A team of 30 from Joint Task Force-Bravo, based in Honduras, is working with the Salvadoran Ministry of Health and others to provide the care. (U.S. Air Force photo/Tech. Sgt. Mike Hammond)

Dec. 15, 2009

Heartbreak to hope: U.S., Salvadoran personnel help flooded communities heal

ILOPONGO, El Salvador — For Nieto Cruz-Hernandez and his family, the morning of Nov. 8 will never be forgotten.After a low pressure system brought torrential downpours to much of El Salvador, the Arenal River ran dangerously high as it flowed through Mr. Hernandez' small city of San Agustin. His sister-in-law, Carla Santos-Hernandez, her children, and other family members

SOTO CANO AIR BASE, Honduras — Army Sgt. 1st Class Tohonn Nicholson, U.S. Army Combatives School instructor, demonstrates a stright arm bar from the guard postion Dec. 8 near the base soccer fields. Thirty five members of Joint Task Force-Bravo recently participated in an Army level-one combative certification course from Dec. 7 to 11 near the base soccer field. Students learned everything from basic fighting positions to submissions and clenches to sweeps and take downs in the five-day course. On the final day the students turned the table and taught the instructors what they had learned in the previous days (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Chad Thompson).

Dec. 13, 2009

Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen obtain basic combative training certification

SOTO CANO AIR BASE, Honduras — Mixed martial arts, or MMA, is one of the fastest growing sports in recent years, and the idea is pretty simple. There is stand-up fighting, which is boxing, kick-boxing and mauy thai, and then there is the "ground game," which consists of wrestling, jiu jitsu, grappling and submissions.To be the best, cage fighters have to be well-rounded in all

SOTO CANO AIR BASE, Honduras — Deployable Rapid-Assembly Shelter, or DRASH, tents were setup behind the base hospital for a mobile surgical team exercise here Dec. 10. The team itself is 100 percent mobile with a two-hour activation response time, and it can function alone for up to 72 hours. Their capabilities are to provide five major life- or limb-saving operations consecutively, and provide advanced trauma life support to 15 patients as well as providing limited post-operative recovery for surgical patients prior to evacuation (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Chad Thompson).

Dec. 13, 2009

Mobile Surgical Team practices abilities during training exercise

SOTO CANO AIR BASE, Honduras — Joint Task Force-Bravo's Mobile Surgical Team practiced it's deployment abilities in a training exercise Dec. 10 near the base hospital by performing five minor surgeries removing small "lumps and bumps" on volunteers."The team is the only permanently assigned military surgical team in Central America," said Army Dr. (Col.) David Cancelada, mobile

A U.S. Army CH-47 Chinook takes off from the flight deck of the U.S.S. Wasp mulitipurpose amphibious assault ship during deck landing qualification training Dec. 8, 2009. Forty-six U.S. Army aircrew members conducted the training with the Chinook and UH-60 and HH-60 Blackhawk helicopters, staying aboard the Wasp while underway in the Caribbean Sea. (U.S. Air Force photo/Tech. Sgt. Mike Hammond).

Dec. 10, 2009

JTF-Bravo, U.S.S. Wasp kick off Army-Navy week by training together in the Caribbean

SOTO CANO AIR BASE, Honduras — Army-Navy week kicked off in fine style Dec. 7-9 for the Soldiers of Joint Task Force-Bravo and Sailors and Marines of the U.S.S. Wasp, when three Army helicopters and more than 40 crew members landed aboard the amphibious assault ship for deck landing qualification training in the Caribbean Sea.In a week full of tradition dating back to 1890, the

SOTO CANO AIR BASE, Honduras -- Army Col. Chris Gehler, Joint Task Force-Bravo commander, and two children from a local orphanage press the plunger and light the base Christmas tree near Building B-202 Dec. 1. More than 40 children from a local orphanage were brought on base for the ceremony. After the tree lighting they sang some Christmas carols, listened to the reading of “A Christmas Story” and had a surprise visit from Santa Claus, who handed out presents and candy to all the children (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Chad Thompson).

Dec. 8, 2009

JTF-Bravo invites children to base during tree lighting ceremony

SOTO CANO AIR BASE, Honduras -- Gen. Douglas Fraser, Commander, U.S. Southern Command, serves stuffing to Airman 1st Class Kristen Olson, Medical Element emergency medical technician, during a Thanksgiving meal here Nov. 25. General Fraser visited the men and women of JTF-Bravo to thank them for their hard work, particularly in the recent El Salvador disaster relief mission, and wish them all a happy Thanksgiving holiday. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Chad Thompson)

Nov. 25, 2009

SOUTHCOM Commander visits JTF-Bravo, wishes troops happy Thanksgiving

ILOPANGO, El Salvador – Villagers of San Diego, El Salvador sit and wait for members of Joint Task Force-Bravo to arrive Nov. 20. JTF-Bravo Medical Element performed a Medical Civil Action Program, or MEDCAP, from Nov. 19 to 23 treating 2,987 people in several different cities affected by the El Salvador mudslides. A team of 10 MEDEL personnel along with the El Salvador’s Ministry of Health personnel and local physicians conducted the MEDCAP for the benefit of Salvadorans in the cities of Guadalupe, San Diego, San Emigdio and Las Isetas -- the cities that were most affected by the flooding that began Nov. 8 (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Chad Thompson).

Nov. 23, 2009

El Salvador MEDCAP treats nearly 3,000 patients in four days

ILOPANGO, El Salvador — The Joint Task Force-Bravo Medical Element performed a Medical Civil Action Program, or MEDCAP, from Nov. 19 to 23 treating 2,987 people in several different cities affected by the El Salvador mudslides.A team of 10 MEDEL personnel along with the El Salvador's Ministry of Health personnel and local physicians conducted the MEDCAP for the benefit of

ILOPANGO, El Salvador--Air Force Maj. Leonel Gonzalez, U.S. SOUTHCOM Standing Joint Force Headquarters Logistics Planner, operates an Automated Route Reconnaissance Kit during a Joint Task Force-Bravo helicopter flight over flood-damged El Salvador Nov. 16. The ARRK, developed by the USACE’s Engineering Research and Development Center, is an easy-to-use system that provides a safe, quick way to gather and process data. A combined U.S., Salvadoran assessment team is working together to collect data from damage sites and recommend steps to help El Salvador recover from recent floods and landslides. (U.S. Air Force photo/1st Lt. Jen Richard)

Nov. 19, 2009

U.S., Salvadoran team works together to assess damage in flood-stricken El Salvador

ILOPANGO, El Salvador — If two heads are better than one, then several expert minds from different countries must be even better. Put a team of U.S. and Salvadoran engineers together, along with some state-of-the-art equipment from U.S. Southern Command, and you have a force capable of providing critical assessments of the damage done by the recent torrential rains that

ILOPANGO, El Salvador - Thousands of pounds of food and water sits and waits to be distributed to the small town of El Sauce Nov. 17 near Ilopango International Airport. A Civil Affairs team from Special Operations Command South, based out of Homestead, Florida, provided vital aid to the small village of El Sauce by dropping off more than 5,000 total pounds of food and water Nov. 17 and 18. This has been a combined effort by Salvadoran government and military, the people of El Sauce, the U.S. Agency for International Development, or USAID, Civil Affairs and Joint Task Force-Bravo (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Chad Thompson).

Nov. 19, 2009

Civil Affairs team delivers supplies, provides vital aid to village of El Sauce

ILOPANGO, El Salvador — A Civil Affairs team from Special Operations Command South, based out of Homestead, Florida, provided vital aid to the small village of El Sauce by dropping off more than 5,000 total pounds of food and water Nov. 17 and 18.U.S. Southern Command and the El Salvador Military Group requested the team's visit in order to conduct rapid assessments of

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