News

U.S. Marine CH-53E Super Stallion helicopters belonging to Joint Task Force - Leeward Islands take off from Muñiz Air National Guard Base in Carolina, Puerto Rico, Sept. 18, 2017.

Sept. 19, 2017

Joint Task Force - Leeward Islands prepares for Hurricane Maria

U.S. service members with Joint Task Force - Leeward Islands moved their aircraft from San Juan to Aguadilla, Puerto Rico, Sept. 18, 2017, in preparation for the arrival of Hurricane Maria so they can continue their humanitarian assistance and disaster relief mission once the storm passes.

U.S. Marine Cpl. Kyler S. Barrett, a landing support specialist with Joint Task Force - Leeward Islands, assembles the Lightweight Water Purification System at Orient Beach, Saint Martin, Sept. 16, 2017. The Marines arrived to assess possible locations to set up their LWPS in order to produce potable water for communities on the island most affected by Hurricane Irma. At the request of partner nations, JTF-LI deployed aircraft and service members to areas in the eastern Caribbean Sea impacted by the storm. The task force is a U.S. military unit composed of Marines, Soldiers, Sailors, and Airmen, and represents U.S. Southern Command’s primary response to Hurricane Irma.

Sept. 19, 2017

Joint Task Force - Leeward Islands distributes water to the people of Saint Martin

ST. MARTIN, Leeward Islands — U.S. service members with Joint Task Force - Leeward Islands began water purification projects on Saint Martin, Sept. 14, in response to the aftermath of Hurricane Irma.

Sept. 18, 2017

SOCSOUTH deploys team in support of response efforts in the Caribbean

HOMESTEAD, Fla., (Sept. 18, 2017) – A Special Operations Command South situational assessment team departed Eglin Air Force Base, Florida, Sept. 9, 2017, in support of Joint Task Force – Leeward Islands’ (JTF-LI) aid response to areas affected by Hurricane Irma in the eastern Caribbean Sea.

Civil service mariners assigned to Military Sealift Command load pallets onto USNS Spearhead (T-EPF 1) at Naval Station Guantanamo Bay.

Sept. 14, 2017

USNS Spearhead Picks Up Supplies In Route to St. Martin

USNS Spearhead (T-EPF 1) stopped at Naval Station Guantanamo Bay, Sept. 13, to pick up humanitarian relief supplies to support Joint Task Force Leeward Islands (JTF-LWI) on the Franco-Dutch island Saint Martin.

Sept. 12, 2017

U.S. Forces prepare to support Hurricane Irma relief

SOTO CANO AIR BASE, Honduras -- Over 300 U.S. service members temporarily based in Honduras are poised to respond to Hurricane Irma in the eastern Caribbean Sea, at the request of the U.S. Agency for International Development - Office of Foreign Disaster Assistance.

Sept. 11, 2017

Soto Cano Air Base honors the fallen

SOTO CANO AIR BASE, Honduras — The 612th Air Base Squadron Fire Department hosted a silent march and remembrance ceremony in honor of the first responders who fell in the line of duty during the September 11 attacks, here Monday.

Soldiers from the South Dakota Army National Guard and members of Suriname Defense Force repair a concrete foundation while renovating portions of the O.S. Majosteeg 3 School in Paramaribo, Aug. 13-24

Aug. 31, 2017

SD Guard, Suriname engineers partner together to renovate school

PARAMARIBO, Suriname – Soldiers from the South Dakota Army National Guard and the Suriname Defense Force partnered together to renovate portions of the O.S. Majosteeg 3 School in Paramaribo, Aug. 13-24.

CENTAM SMOKE, enhancing regional emergency and firefighting capabilities

Aug. 28, 2017

CENTAM SMOKE, enhancing regional firefighting and emergency capabilities

SOTO CANO AIR BASE, Honduras — Joint Task Force-Bravo hosted 29 firefighters from Honduras, Guatemala, Panama, El Salvador, Costa Rica and Nicaragua at Soto Cano Air Base, from August 21 to 25 for the Central America Sharing Mutual Operational Knowledge and Experiences exercise known as CENTAM SMOKE.

Aug. 24, 2017

Southcom Commander Highlights Security Cooperation With Regional Partners

WASHINGTON — The United States and its South American partners are committed to working together in addressing the security challenges impacting Latin America and beyond, the commander of U.S. Southern Command said.

Aug. 21, 2017

Counterdrug program trains international law enforcement partners

The National Guard Counterdrug Program conducted the first class of its newly developed course aimed at disrupting illicit drug trafficking networks July 10-Aug. 10 .The NG CDP worked closely with U.S. Southern Command to identify Suriname as the first country to send a student to attend the pilot course.