Exercise Southern Vanguard 23 comes to a close | Article
1/6 Caption + present Hide Caption –
Soldiers from the U.S. and Colombian Armed Forces stand in formation throughout the closing ceremony of Exercise Southern Vanguard 23 at Tolemaida Military Base, Colombia, November 16, 2022. Exercise Southern Vanguard is the U.S. Army South’s premier coaching train, going down on the operational and tactical ranges to enhance interoperability between the armed forces of the United States and the Western Hemisphere. This yr’s iteration, Exercise Southern Vanguard 23, options U.S. Army South and U.S. Army National Guard Soldiers coaching alongside Colombian Army Soldiers on diversified terrain whereas conducting weapons workouts culminating in a bilateral navy coaching operation. (US Army picture by Sgt. 1st Class Alan Brutus) (Photo Credit: Sergeant 1st Class Alan Brutus)
SEE ORIGINAL
2/6 Caption + present Hide Caption –
A Colombian Army soldier honors fallen Colombian Army troopers throughout the closing ceremony of Exercise Southern Vanguard 23 on the Tolemaida Military Base, Colombia November 16, 2022. Exercise Southern Vanguard is the U.S. Army South’s premier coaching train centered on operational and tactical Levels are going down within the space designed to enhance interoperability between the armed forces of the United States and the Western Hemisphere. This yr’s iteration, Exercise Southern Vanguard 23, options U.S. Army South and U.S. Army National Guard Soldiers coaching alongside Colombian Army Soldiers on diversified terrain whereas conducting weapons workouts culminating in a bilateral navy coaching operation. (US Army picture by Sgt. 1st Class Alan Brutus) (Photo Credit: Sergeant 1st Class Alan Brutus)
SEE ORIGINAL
3/6 Caption + present Hide Caption –
Maj. Gen. William Thigpen, commanding normal, U.S. Army South, delivers a comment throughout the closing ceremony of Exercise Southern Vanguard 23 at Tolemaida Military Base, Colombia November 16, 2022. Exercise Southern Vanguard is the U.S. Army South’s premier coaching train on the operational and tactical ranges to enhance interoperability between the armed forces of the United States and the Western Hemisphere. This yr’s iteration, Exercise Southern Vanguard 23, options U.S. Army South and U.S. Army National Guard Soldiers coaching alongside Colombian Army Soldiers on diversified terrain whereas conducting weapons workouts culminating in a bilateral navy coaching operation. (US Army picture by Sgt. 1st Class Alan Brutus) (Photo Credit: Sergeant 1st Class Alan Brutus)
SEE ORIGINAL
4/6 Caption + present Hide Caption –
Major General Luis Mauricio Ospina Gutierrez, commander of the Colombian National Army, delivers a comment throughout the closing ceremony of train Southern Vanguard 23 on the Tolemaida navy base, Colombia, November 16, 2022. Exercise Southern Vanguard is the U.S. Army South’s premier coaching train hosted at an operational and tactical degree to enhance interoperability between the armed forces of the United States and the Western Hemisphere. This yr’s iteration, Exercise Southern Vanguard 23, options U.S. Army South and U.S. Army National Guard Soldiers coaching alongside Colombian Army Soldiers on diversified terrain whereas conducting weapons workouts culminating in a bilateral navy coaching operation. (US Army picture by Sgt. 1st Class Alan Brutus) (Photo Credit: Sergeant 1st Class Alan Brutus)
SEE ORIGINAL
5/6 Caption + present Hide Caption –
Soldiers from the U.S. and Colombian Armed Forces stand in formation throughout the closing ceremony of Exercise Southern Vanguard 23 at Tolemaida Military Base, Colombia, November 16, 2022. Exercise Southern Vanguard is the U.S. Army South’s premier coaching train, going down on the operational and tactical ranges to enhance interoperability between the armed forces of the United States and the Western Hemisphere. This yr’s iteration, Exercise Southern Vanguard 23, options U.S. Army South and U.S. Army National Guard Soldiers coaching alongside Colombian Army Soldiers on diversified terrain whereas conducting weapons workouts culminating in a bilateral navy coaching operation. (US Army picture by Sgt. 1st Class Alan Brutus) (Photo Credit: Sergeant 1st Class Alan Brutus)
SEE ORIGINAL
6/6 Caption + present Hide Caption –
Soldiers from the U.S. Army and Colombian Army pose collectively after the closing ceremony of Exercise Southern Vanguard 23 at Tolemaida Military Base, Colombia, November 16, 2022. Exercise Southern Vanguard is the U.S. Army South’s premier coaching train, going down on the operational and tactical ranges, designed to enhance interoperability between the armed forces of the United States and the Western Hemisphere. This yr’s iteration, Exercise Southern Vanguard 23, options U.S. Army South and U.S. Army National Guard Soldiers coaching alongside Colombian Army Soldiers on diversified terrain whereas conducting weapons workouts culminating in a bilateral navy coaching operation. (US Army picture by Sgt. 1st Class Alan Brutus) (Photo Credit: Sergeant 1st Class Alan Brutus)
SEE ORIGINAL
Soldiers from the Illinois and Georgia National Guard stand side-by-side one final time with their Colombian Army counterparts on the parade floor at Tolemaida Military Base, Colombia, throughout the closing ceremony of Exercise Southern Vanguard 23 (ExSV23) November 16, 2022.
“Thank you for your professionalism, total dedication and focused commitment throughout the week,” Commanding General of the US Army South Maj. Gen. William Thigpen mentioned as he addressed the formation of greater than 400 US and Colombian troopers spoke. “Our participating U.S. Soldiers from the Georgia and Illinois National Guards were able to coordinate logistics, witness the rigors of Colombian Army training, and hone their squad and platoon-level skills in Colombia’s challenging jungle terrain.”
Thigpen additionally took the time to acknowledge the Colombian Army’s Counternarcotics and Transnational Threats Command, which was coaching alongside the US troopers, stating, “The professionalism, tactical prowess and enthusiastic strategy of your whole group to the planning and… Conducting this train was commendable.” He continued, “I know your Army relies on your organization to conduct real-world missions in a high-threat environment every day, and the U.S. Army appreciates the opportunity to help to train some of the best soldiers in the western hemisphere, really. ”
During the two-week train, U.S. and Colombian military troopers used their earlier coaching and expertise to work collectively and conduct a number of situational coaching avenues, together with contact motion, patrolling dense jungle terrain, direct and oblique hearth response, and medical therapy and evacuation methods.
During the ultimate day of coaching, Soldiers from each armies put every part they’d realized to the take a look at as they carried out a remaining mixed assault operation that included an airborne sortie and navigating the jungle at evening throughout a torrential downpour.
The Commander of the Colombian National Army, Major General Luis Mauricio Ospina Gutiérrez, spoke in regards to the distinctive expertise that lots of the troopers within the discipline had had over the previous two weeks and regarded the significance of the partnership, which was additional strengthened throughout ExSV23.
“I thank God for allowing us to share this experience that enriches the capabilities of both our nations,” he mentioned. “The Defense Integration Alliance with the United States of America is recognized as one of the most successful in the region, and this training has helped improve the level of training and interoperability of our armies.”
The ever-increasing means of the US and Colombian armies to work collectively on challenges was established throughout the Korean War and has attracted elevated curiosity in recent times.
“We have developed this exercise annually, rotating headquarters in both countries,” he mentioned. “It started in 2019 with the presence of a South Carolina National Guard platoon coaching alongside a platoon from the Drug and Human Trafficking Brigade on the identical facility and continued into 2021 when the Brigade’s Drug and Trafficking Brigade… Human trafficking carried out an train with the South Carolina National Guard at Fort Polk, Louisiana.”
The mixed expertise and insights supplied by ExSV23 to each armies proves that this train was a success and met the entire coaching aims set throughout the quite a few planning conferences main up to the previous two weeks of execution.
Both Thigpen and Ospina concluded their shows, stressing their need to proceed working collectively in any respect ranges and constructing on the already robust partnership that the 2 armies have constructed.
