SOTO CANO AIR BASE, Honduras –
At the site of a Medical Readiness and Training Exercise in the town of San Marco, La Paz, Honduras, key leaders from Joint Task Force-Bravo met with both Honduran civic and military leaders, Oct. 8, 2014.
U.S. Army Col. Kirk Dorr, commander of JTF-B, met with Rene Melgar Argueta, governor of La Paz; Ernesto Garcia, Mayor of Guajiquiro; Dr. Oscar Amaya, a representative from the Ministry of Health; deputy commissioner Ramon Martinez, La Paz chief of police; and Yanitza Rodriguez, a representative from the Ministry of Human Rights.
"With this being my first tour of a MEDRETE, I'm very impressed," said Rodriguez. "These people are much underserved and they deserve so much more than what they have been given in the past."
Members of Joint Task Force-Bravo's Medical Element provided a tour of the Medical Readiness and Training Exercise site as well as the mobile dental clinic. Together U.S. and Honduran medical professionals worked side-by-side to provide basic medical care and tooth extractions to several local citizens.
"We are greatly appreciative of your support," said Melgar. "This [MEDRETE] is providing our citizens with the care they are in need of."
MEDRETEs have proven equally beneficial to both the U.S. and Honduras.
"We benefit greatly from perform MEDRETEs like this because it gives our people the training and experience they need to operate in remote locations," said Dorr.
The Task Force and Honduran leaders engaged in discussions on how to continue building on the strong relationship between the U.S. and Honduras, and how Joint Task Force-Bravo can continue to partner with Honduras in order to provide assistance to those in need.
"This [MEDRETE] is the best example of partnership between our Task Force and the country of Honduras," added Dorr. "Over the past three-decades we have been woven into the fabric of Honduras, and the country has become part of us."