United States Southern Command (USSOUTHCOM)

COMPLETED

Fuerzas Comando 2008 was a military skills competition between the best special forces teams in the western hemisphere. The event was held at Camp Bullis, Texas from June 19 – 26. Security forces from 17 countries took part in the challenging contest, which promoted military-to-military relationships, increased interoperability and improved regional security.

A member of the Colombian team fires his weapon during the rifle and pistol event during Fuerzas ‎Comando 2008 at Camp Bullis, Texas. (U.S. Army photo by Spc. Thaddeus Harrington, 29th MPAD, ‎Maryland Army National Guard)‎

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Details:

U.S. Southern Command hosted Fuerzas Comando 2008, with Special Operations Command South serving as the lead U.S. military organization for coordination of this exercise.

More than 300 military, law enforcement and civilian personnel from the participating nations took part in the exercise. About 150 U.S. service members from all the services were involved.

Fuerzas Comando 2008 tested the participants’ physical and psychological endurance through many obstacles both on land and in water. It included two parts: a multinational special operations skills competition and a senior leader seminar.

Multinational Special Operations Skills Competition:

The skills competition was designed to improve multinational regional cooperation, enhance mutual trust and confidence, and advance the training, readiness and interoperability of participating special operations forces in tactics, techniques, and procedures. There were two events:

§ Assault team competition

A physical fitness test; a confidence course; close-quarters combat; a rucksack march; water event; and an obstacle course.

§ Sniper team competition

The sniper team competition will consist of five events: a physical fitness test; marksmanship; shoot and move; range estimation; and stalk and shoot events.

Each participating nation sent a judge, a five-person Special Operations assault team and a two-man sniper team to compete in challenging tests and evaluations of their skills in special operations tactics, techniques and procedures used in counter-terrorist operations.

Senior Leader Seminar:

The senior leader seminar helped to develop, refine and improve political and military relations and multi-national cooperation in fighting terrorism and other transnational threats. The senior leader seminar focused on terrorism and fighting transnational threats took place June 23 - 26, 2008 in San Antonio.

Nations Participating:

Argentina, Belize, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Honduras, Guatemala, Jamaica, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, United States, and Uruguay. Barbados and Mexico are participating as observers, gathering information to assist them in building a team for possible future Fuerzas Comando competitions.

Background:

This was the fifth consecutive year Fuerzas Comando has taken place in SOUTHCOM’s area of focus.

Key points and themes

Fuerzas Comando 2008 is a unique opportunity for participating nations to improve their special operations capabilities. This competition increases training knowledge and furthers interoperability between countries in the western hemisphere.

Countries participating in Fuerzas Comando have developed a solid working relationship that is based on mutual respect and conducive to the open exchange of ideas. Relationships that result from this competition promote regional security and cooperation.

Nations competing in Fuerzas Comando refine tactics, techniques and procedures utilized by their special operations forces. By increasing their capabilities, countries become more capable of confronting direct threats.

Many of today’s transnational threats, such as kidnappings, international gangs, terrorism, drug trafficking and illicit activities cannot be defeated by traditional military means alone. Defeating these threats require common goals and cooperation with our regional partners.