Overview
Fuerzas Comando 2023 was a U.S. Southern Command-sponsored, special operations skills competition and combating terrorism seminar under the responsibility of U.S. Special Operations Command South (SOCSOUTH).
The exercise had two parts: A skills competition and a Senior Leader Seminar.
Through friendly competition, this exercise promotes interoperability, military-to-military relationships, increases training knowledge, and improved regional security. Military, law enforcement, and civilian personnel from the participating nations will take 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 was hosted by the Dominican Republic Ministry of Defense.
SOCSOUTH, headquartered at Homestead Air Reserve Base, Fla., was the lead U.S. executing command for the exercise. SOCSOUTH serves as the special operations component for U.S. Southern Command.
Participating Nations
Argentina, Bahamas, Brazil, Belize, Colombia, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Jamaica, Mexico, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, St. Vincent & Grenadines, Trinidad and Tobago, Uruguay, and the United States
About the Multinational Skills Competition
This year the competition was held at Centro de Entrenamiento Táctico Sierra Prieta, Dominican Republic. The assault team competition consisted of a series of events that include physical fitness tests, a confidence course, close quarters combat, a rucksack march, and an obstacle course. The sniper team competition consisted of physical fitness tests, marksmanship, mobility, and concealment events.
Senior Leader Seminar (Distinguished Visitors Program)
The Distinguished Visitors Program, also known as the Senior Leader Seminar (SLS), took place June 19-21 in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. The SLS will focus on Countering Transnational Organized Crime (C-TOC) in the Western Hemisphere. The SLS provided a vehicle for dialogue and critical thinking on C-TOC, focusing on improving government presence in contested areas within the Western Hemisphere.
Background
This was the 17th Fuerzas Comando exercise. The exercise has been conducted primarily in Central and South America and the Caribbean since 2004.