US Marines Deployed To Coveñas, Colombia; Establish Command Operations Center on Colombia’s Atlantic Coast

Today, the US Marines Special Purpose Marine Air-Ground Task Force under the US Military Southern Command and Colombia’s Infantería de Marina de Colombia begin a week of Humanitarian Assistance/Disaster Relief (HA/DR) rehearsals and Subject Matter Expert Exchanges (SMEEs), in Coveñas, Colombia.

This rehearsal and SMEE are hosted by Colombia’s navy, the Armada Nacional de Colombia and will conduct training rehearsals at Base de Entrenamiento de Infantería de Marina through October 5.

The evolution is designed to train each Navy and Marine Corps to conduct civil and joint operations through the execution of humanitarian assistance, communications, and air operations in order to increase interoperability and capability between participating Civil, Naval and Marine forces. They will help validate interoperability amongst the two countries’ Marine Corps and ultimately the development of a standing Combined Task Force (CTF) postured to respond to HA/DR events throughout the region.

This HA/DR rehearsal and SMEE are the latest in a long history of engagements and cooperation between the United States and the region. In 2016, SPMAGTF-SC assisted in the delivery of more than 478,000 pounds of supplies during relief efforts in Haiti, following Hurricane Matthew. In 2017, SPMAGTF-SC formed the nucleus of Joint Task Force – Leeward Islands, which provided humanitarian aid and disaster response to the Caribbean, following Hurricane Maria. In 2018, SPMAGTF-SC Marines assisted the government of Guatemala’s response to the Volcán de Fuego eruption by building more than 200 multi-family shelters and supporting facilities, which helped more than 4,000 people left without homes. Most recently, SPMAGTF-SC participated in the 60th iteration of UNITAS – the world’s longest-running multinational maritime exercise, which focused on humanitarian assistance and disaster response.

Above photo:

U.S. Marine Cpl. Johnathon Nettles, a data systems administrator with Special Purpose Marine Air-Ground Task Force – Southern Command, finalizes adjustments on a ground antenna transmit and receive (GATR) communications system during the setup of a command operations center in Base de Entrenamiento de Infanteria de Marina, Coveñas, Colombia, Sept. 28, 2019. A GATR is used to establish local area network-based services through a satellite. The task force is conducting training and engineering projects hand-in-hand with partner nation military members in Latin America and the Caribbean during their deployment to the region, which coincides with hurricane season. Nettles is a native of Annapolis, Maryland. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Sgt. Stanley Moy)