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SAN SALVADOR, El Salvador – U.S. service members assigned to Task Force Northstar and the Salvadoran Task Force San Andres began construction March 28 as part of the humanitarian and civic assistance mission Beyond the Horizon 2015.
BTH 2015 is a government of El Salvador and U.S. Southern Command joint mission aimed to build a stronger bond between the two nations.
“The overall mission is to work with the Salvadoran military and to provide host nation assistance,” said Army Lt. Col. Joseph Dermenjian, Task Force Northstar commander. “Everybody has been working well together.”
BTH is sponsored by U.S. Army South, which has tasked the 367th Engineer Battalion out of St. Joseph, Minnesota, to lead the mission.
The 367th was responsible for planning the mission, which involves more than 50 U.S. units, including Air Guard, U.S. Army Reserve, Army National Guard, Air Force, U.S. Marine Corps, and four partner nations. Now we are responsible for ensuring its success, said Army Maj. James Prendergast, operations officer for the 367th and now Task Force Northstar.
The mission consists of constructing five new three-room school houses, a new medical clinic and conducting three Medical Readiness Training Exercises throughout various rural and underserved regions in El Salvador.
U.S. service members are working hand-in-hand with their Salvadoran counterparts, teaching one another new skills and building a stronger relationship with one another.
“Working with the Salvadoran engineers has been very beneficial to us,” said U.S. Air Force Master Sgt. John Waizmann, site project manager with the 560th Rapid Engineer Deployable Heavy Operational Repair Squadron out of Charleston, South Carolina. “They have been able to show us different techniques they use here than we are use to back in the U.S.”
According to U.S. SOUTHCOM, the purpose of this operation is to provide a realistic training exercise focused on improving the capabilities of the U.S. military engineer, medical and sustainment personnel while improving relationships between the U.S. and Salvadoran militaries and providing material assistance to the local citizens.
“Beyond the Horizon allows the U.S. service members to do their job in an austere environment.” said Dermenjian. “They get the experience working with other nations in a foreign country.”
BTH also allows U.S. service members to work closely with regional medical and dental providers to help determine cooperative solutions to key health issues within El Salvador.
“Working with the El Salvadorans gives us an opportunity to address some of their medical needs,” said Dermenjian. “They will have a better appreciation for what their government and other nations are doing.”
With BTH 2015 continuing through the end of June, U.S. service members and partner nations with Task Force Northstar will continue to play their part in BTH. Each day brings them one step closer to completing not only the current mission, but also in building an lasting partnership with the government of El Salvador.
| Date Taken: | 04.08.2015 |
| Date Posted: | 04.08.2015 15:36 |
| Story ID: | 159445 |
| Location: | SAN SALVADOR, SV |
| Hometown: | CHARLESTON, SC, US |
| Hometown: | SAN FRANCISCO, CA, US |
| Web Views: | 399 |
| Downloads: | 1 |
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