News

April 21, 2025

LAMAT 2025 culminates in Guyana

GEORGETOWN, Guyana (AFNS) — The Lesser Antilles Medical Assistance Team 2025 mission concluded two weeks of intensive medical collaboration between U.S. military personnel and their Guyanese counterparts.

U.S. Air Force Senior Master Sgt. Suzanne Redd, 433rd Aeromedical Staging Squadron senior enlisted leader, and Julia Ann Sarjoo, Georgetown Public Hospital phlebotomist, take blood from a child patient with help from the child’s mother at the pediatric emergency section at Georgetown Public Hospital during the Lesser Antilles Medical Assistance Team mission in Georgetown, Guyana, April 2, 2025.

April 17, 2025

Ready Now, and Anywhere, 433rd Citizen Airmen go to Guyana for LAMAT 2025

GEORGETOWN, Guyana — The final health engagement of the 2025 Lesser Antilles Medical Assistance Team (LAMAT) mission began March 31, leaving a lasting impact on both the people and providers of Guyana—as well as the nearly 60 U.S. Air Force medical professionals who supported the mission.

The Freedom-class littoral combat ship USS Minneapolis-Saint Paul (LCS 21) departs Naval Station Mayport for her maiden deployment, Mar. 26, 2025. LCS 21 is deploying to the U.S. 4th Fleet area of operations is support of counter-illicit drug trafficking operations.

April 17, 2025

USS Minneapolis-Saint Paul Makes Multiple Drug Busts

CARIBBEAN SEA — The Freedom-variant littoral combat ship USS Minneapolis-Saint Paul (LCS 21), in coordination with joint partners, stopped two alleged drug smuggling operations in the Caribbean Sea within a 72-hour span.

April 16, 2025

Hegseth Welcomes Salvadoran Counterpart, Praises Relationship Between Countries

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth welcomed Salvadoran Defense Minister René Francis Merino Monroy to the Pentagon as part of a bilateral engagement in which the secretary praised the bond shared between the two countries.

U.S. Air Force members participating in the Lesser Antilles Medical Assistance Team (LAMAT) 2025 mission pose for a group photo outside of Joseph N. France (JNF) General Hospital in Basseterre, St. Kitts and Nevis, March 25, 2025.

April 16, 2025

Saving Lives, Building Partnerships: LAMAT 25 Delivers Critical Care, Reserve Readiness in St. Kitts and Nevis

BASSETERRE, St. Kitts and Nevis — During the St. Kitts and Nevis phase of LAMAT 25, more than 2,200 patients received treatment, 600-plus people underwent surgical and non-surgical interventions, thousands of hours of readiness training were accomplished, and Air Force medical professionals helped deliver a grand-total of at least $80,000 worth of care to the host nation’s populace.

Led by Rear Adm. Carlos Sardiello, Commander U.S. Naval Forces Southern Command/U.S. 4th Fleet, more than 100 Sailors, Marines, and civilians gathered onboard Naval Station Mayport in support of the UNITAS 2025 Mid-Planning Conference. This year’s UNITAS, scheduled for September, is the longest-running, multinational maritime exercise in the world. UNITAS 2025 will combine the efforts of Allies and Partners from across the globe and serve as the warfighting introduction to Navy 250 – the U.S. Navy’s year-long birthday celebration. U.S. Naval Forces Southern Southern Command and the trusted maritime partner for Command/U.S. 4th Fleet is the maritime component of U.S. Caribbean, Central and South America maritime forces leading to improved unity, security, and stability.

April 11, 2025

UNITAS 2025 Mid Planning Conference Concludes

Mayport, Fla. — JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - U.S. Naval Forces Southern Command/U.S. 4th Fleet completed the UNITAS 2025 mid planning conference on board Naval Station Mayport in Jacksonville, Apr. 7-11. Held virtually and in-person, the conference brought together commands from the U.S. and partner nations to plan for UNITAS 2025, the 66th iteration of the world’s longest-running multinational maritime exercise.

U.S. Navy Adm. Alvin Holsey, commander of U.S. Southern Command, boards the Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruiser, USS Chosin (CG 65) for a reception night, Panama, April 7, 2025. U.S. Southern Command and the Panamanian security forces collaborate to ensure and maintain regional stability during natural disasters, medical catastrophes or regional conflicts. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Van Hoang)

April 11, 2025

USS Chosin supports Central American Security Conference 2025

AMADOR, Panama — U.S. Navy Adm. Alvin Holsey, commander, U.S. Southern Command, and John M. Barrett, Charge d’Affaires at the U.S. Embassy in Panama, co-hosted a reception for Panamanian government officials and foreign dignitaries aboard the Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruiser USS Chosin (CG 65) during a port visit to Panama Apr. 7, opening the Central American Security Conference (CENTSEC 2025). CENTSEC is a week of international joint operations and training, to promote and facilitate dialogue and cooperation among regional security partners focused on common challenges and objectives.

April 11, 2025

USNS Comfort to visit SOUTHCOM Region; Ship to support Continuing Promise 2025 Mission

PANAMA CITY, Panama — PANAMA CITY, Panama – (Apr. 10, 2025) – Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth announced April 9 that a U.S. Navy hospital ship, the USNS Comfort (T-AH 20), will deploy in support of Continuing Promise 2025 later this year.

A side view of the defense secretary speaking from podium.

April 9, 2025

Hegseth Says U.S. Partnering With Panama to Secure Canal, Deter China

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced an expanded partnership between the U.S. and Panama to secure the Panama Canal in order to counter "China's maligned influence" in the region.

Two people wearing American military uniforms drag a man wearing a dark blue uniform while a group of people wearing the same dark blue uniform watch. The dark blue uniform says “Policia” on the back.

April 4, 2025

U.S. Special Ops Conduct Combined Training With Panama, Formalize Commitment

Recent security engagements between U.S. and Panamanian forces culminated in the first official U.S.-Panama special operations forces talks, underscoring a decades-long bilateral partnership.