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Secretary of War Pete Hegseth met in Panama with U.S. service members who are learning how to survive in the most brutal, unforgiving jungles of the Western Hemisphere, all while retaining their combat effectiveness.

Soldiers with the Missouri National Guard’s 179th Cyber Protection Team and Defensive Cyber Operations Element (DCOE) are supporting collaborative cyber defense exercises with multinational partners as part of PANAMAX 2026, Aug. 3-13, 2026, in Panama.

U.S. Naval Forces Southern Command/U.S. 4th Fleet completed the Combined Force Maritime Component Command (CFMCC) portion of the annual exercise PANAMAX, Aug. 3-12. This portion of the exercise helped provide maritime-focused interoperability training for the U.S. and participating multinational staffs, and build participating nation capability to plan and execute operations.

During Exercise PANAMAX 2026, U.S. and partner-nation Airmen integrated at the 612th Air Operations Center at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Arizona, to practice joint air operations and strengthen cooperative defense. Co-led by U.S. Air Force Maj. Gen. David Mineau and Colombian Aerospace Force Col. Andrés Galvis Espejo, the combined air component demonstrated how shared leadership empowers partner nations in strategic decision-making. By simulating defense operations for the economically vital Panama Canal, the exercise allowed coalition officers to work through the complexities of different national authorities and command relationships. Ultimately, the story highlights how enduring military partnerships and mutual trust serve as a strategic capability to ensure regional stability and security before a real-world crisis occurs.

In Panama, Secretary of War Pete Hegseth told members of the recently established Americas Counter Cartel Coalition that the U.S. is firmly committed to working alongside them to dismantle dangerous transnational criminal drug cartels.