Commentaries

My Flag, A Journey
May 15, 2020 — Aviation is inherently dangerous. Every time that aircraft leaves the ground, your life is in the hands of the very precise and diligent efforts of maintainers who sustain a machine that must be carefully controlled by a trained aviator and crew. Yet amid the harmony between these electronics and metal parts, one day you may catch a glimpse of a doll in a flight bag, a trinket hanging down from the circuit breaker panel, or a pilot performing the sign of the cross before liftoff. Brig. Gen. Chuck Yeager always carried a packet of Beemans gum on every one of his flights, including when he broke the sound barrier. Whether for good luck, personal or religious views, or just superstition – each has their own reason why... MORE

Chief Warrant Officer 4 Joval Eblen III, 1st Battalion, 228th Aviation Regiment pilot, stands in front of one of his unit’s UH-60 Blackhawk helicopters with his personal American flag at Soto Cano Air Base, Honduras May 14, 2020.

DOD, DHS combine cyber forces
December 18, 2018 — During the first two weeks of December, U.S. Southern Command Joint Cyber Center Arm and Navy Cyber Protection Teams 600 and 601 are combining forces with Department of Homeland Security civilians and U.S. Coast Guard personnel to conduct the first joint Defense Department-DHS cyber mission conducted outside of U.S. borders... MORE

U.S. Navy Chief Timothy Bobrow, center, diagrams network architecture with Kenneth Simmons, J6, left, and Ben Loader, Department of Homeland Security Incident Response Manager, right, while Army and Navy personnel analyze network data in the back left of the room at Soto Cano Air Base, Dec. 2018.

Beyond the Horizons: Combined Joint Engineer Exercise in Central America
November 16, 2018 — Every summer, in the jungles of Central America you can find Air Force RED HORSE Squadron (RHS), Marine Corp Engineers, approximately 1,800 U.S. Army Engineers and the occasional Navy Seabee. This mixture of Active Duty Soldiers, Reservists and National Guard Service Members come together to form Task Force Engineer, the command & control agency... MORE

Kick for Nick: A wish that lives on
August 24, 2018 — At the heart of a soldier lie true Army values; loyalty, duty, respect, selfless service, honor, integrity and personal courage. Pfc. Nicholas Madaras embodied the traits of a true soldier who left behind a legacy that survives his loss... MORE

Joint Task Force-Bravo: A Trusted Partner in Central American Security
February 7, 2018 — As a trusted partner, JTF-Bravo is a critical SOUTHCOM organization that contributes directly to the security and stability of Central America. Rapid response, support to law enforcement, and multilateral exercises are three areas that demonstrate the organization’s importance within the region... MORE

SOUTHCOM Situation Assessment Team prepares at Soto Cano

Community health, one on one
May 30, 2017 — The Medical Element is one of Joint Task Force-Bravo’s major supporting commands with the most visibility. The unit actively participates in many large medical readiness training exercises in Central America; supporting local ministries of health and providing care for thousands of people in under-served remote areas throughout the year... MORE

U.S. Army Lt. Col. Rhonda Dyer, Joint Task Force - Bravo, gives a vaccine to a local Honduran while out on a Community Health Nurse mission in Comayagua, Honduras, May 10, 2017. The CHM is a weekly partnership with the staff at Jose Ochoa Public Health Clinic, administering vaccines, Vitamins, deworming medication and other medical supplies to over 180 Hondurans around the Comayagua area on May 10, 2017. (U.S. Air National Guard photo by Master Sgt. Scott Thompson/released)

Boosting partner-of-choice focus in CENTAM
January 12, 2017 — In recent years, Joint Task Force-Bravo has bolstered our relationship with Department of Defense, Department of State, Interagency and Central American militaries through the Community of Interest and NCO-Leader Development programs. These programs build and maintain invaluable relationships, develop the capacity of our partner nations and strengthen the Partner-of-Choice focus in Central America... MORE

Cmd. Sgt. Maj. of the Honduran Army Forces Carlos Valle and U.S. Army Cmd. Sgt. Maj. Shawn Carns, Joint Task Force-Bravo command sergeant major, pose for a photo before a Honduran Army NCO academy graduation in Zambrano, Honduras, Aug. 25, 2016. Valle and Carns will conduct battlefield circulations to each one of the Honduran military’s NCO academies to see how they might improve upon and learn from their program of instruction.

COMMENTARY: A Honduran Experience
December 16, 2015 — On my flight to Honduras, I didn't have the slightest idea of what to expect. Sure, I knew my job, I knew the types of missions I'd be part of, but I was not prepared for the culture shock I received after landing in Honduras.For the most part, Tegucigalpa, the nation's capital, isn't that different from an average city in the U.S. Malls, movie... MORE

U.S. Army Capt. John Dills, Joint Task Force-Bravo tactical officer in charge, shakes hands with a boy during a medical readiness training exercise in San Jose De Rio Pinto, Honduras, Nov. 12, 2015. The MEDRETEs JTF-Bravo supports provide military members with essential training in austere locations and helps build local community relations in the host country. (U.S. Air Force Photo by Senior Airman Westin Warburton/Released)

Eliminating stigma: A leadership responsibility
September 2, 2014 — As a child, a close relative of mine committed suicide. In those days, mental health was only discussed in hushed tones and little support was available. I was shaped by this experience and in my military career, I have tried to create an environment where people feel comfortable discussing their problems and supported in their efforts to seek... MORE