Overview
Fuerzas Comando 2019 is a U.S. Southern Command-sponsored exercise, executed by Special Operations Command South (SOCSOUTH), which has been conducted primarily in Central and South America and the Caribbean since 2004.
The exercise has two parts: A skills competition and a Senior Leader Seminar focused on countering terrorism.
Military, law enforcement, and civilian personnel from the participating nations are taking part in the exercise. The event demonstrates and tests participants’ skills through special operations forces competitions.
This year’s multinational special operations skills competition and Senior Leadership Seminar is hosted by the Ejercito de Chile and Estado Mayor Conjunto, Chile.
SOCSOUTH, headquartered at Homestead Air Reserve Base, Fla., is the lead U.S. executing command for the exercise. SOCSOUTH serves as the special operations component for U.S. Southern Command.
Participating Nations
Argentina, Belize, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Jamaica, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago, Uruguay and the United States
About the Multinational Skills Competition
The competition will take place at the Brigada de Operaciones Especiales “Lautaro” in Santiago, Chile. The competition consists of a series of individual and collective critical tasks and events that include a physical fitness test, obstacle course, rifle and pistol qualification, close quarters combat test, forced march, obstacle course and a water event. The events test the participant’s skills and proficiency under unknown and stressful conditions in simulated scenarios.
Senior Leader Seminar (Distinguished Visitors Program)
The Distinguished Visitors Program, also known as the Senior Leader Seminar, is designed to facilitate a dialogue among the region’s military, government and academia representatives about strengthening partnerships and regional security. The forum focus on topics of discussion that include transnational, transregional threat networks and the impact those threats have on regional security and stability to include the employment of special operations forces to counter security threats. Participants of the Distinguished Visitors Program represent each participating nation and consist of partner nation SOF commanders and cabinet-level counter terrorism decision makers.
Background
This is the 15th Fuerzas Comando exercise. Fuerzas Comando 2018 was held in Panama.