SOTO CANO AIR BASE, Honduras –
Army Support Activity-Soto Cano continues to improve the infrastructure and the living experience for Joint Task Force-Bravo personnel and Honduran partners.
Efforts from ASA-Soto Cano included re-implementing mosquito vector control, continuing work to install a new water distribution plant with the aim to provide potable water on Soto Cano in the summer of 2024, revamping and repairing the aging flightline infrastructure, and continuing efforts to remove over-ground electrical wiring to protect the facilities and service members on post.
“The health and wellbeing of our Soldiers, Marines and Airmen, and our civilians and Honduran Air Force hosts on the installation is a top priority,” said U.S. Army Col. Paul Witkowski, ASA-Soto Cano commander. “These projects continue to promote conditions that support U.S. presence here in Honduras and ensure our service members can serve to their full potential without worrying about living conditions on post.”
Efforts also continue to replace aging powerlines across the installation and move the electrical wiring underground to be more resilient to the unpredictable weather conditions frequently experienced near Comayagua.
“These projects are about resiliency,” Witkowski said. “Sustaining operations ensures our Soldiers, Airmen, Marines, civilians, and contractors can accomplish the mission at any time. We’ve been at Soto Cano for over 40 years, and our continued infrastructure upgrades enable JTF-Bravo and our tenant units to respond effectively and efficiently because the facilities on the base are functional and resilient to different operating conditions.”
Though the dry season is fast approaching, ASA-Soto Cano worked with JTF-Bravo’s Preventative Medicine Detachment to re-establish a vector control program to reduce the mosquito population and mitigate the dengue and malaria risk posed to personnel on Soto Cano.
Updating and maintaining the living conditions on post is only one of the many roles that ASA-Soto Cano oversees. Another aspect that ASA delivers is providing opportunities for service members to destress, experience the local community, and feel connected to their families across the globe.
For the holiday season, the morale, wellness, and recreation team worked to connect JTF-Bravo members with weekly trips to local landmarks, including Roatan and Copan, Honduras. The team brought holiday entertainment to Soto Cano with a comedy tour from Paul Rodriguez and an MWR concert headlined by Kat Perkins.
“Building a sense of community on base is what MWR is all about,” said Nicole Trolio, the MWR director. “Whether a teammate is deployed, PCS’d, or just TDY here, we must create an environment that they feel like they belong – whether that is via the travel and trips we offer or by hosting MWR-sponsored concerts and events – Soto Cano is only as strong as the community we have.”
Improving the infrastructure on base and building a sense of community continues once members conclude their tour at Soto Cano. Many of the infrastructure and MWR programs are planned to be completed in the summer of 2024 – granting the new cadre of JTF-Bravo and ASA members an improved experience while stationed on the leading edge of Latin America.
For more information about Soto Cano Air Base, contact Joint Task Force-Bravo Public Affairs at southcom.sotocano.jtfb-pao.mbx.jtf-b-public-affairs-office@mail.mil