The government of Colombia and units of the US Military Forces will participate in a bilateral exercise called “Ejercicio Vita”, in different areas of the department of La Guajira.
The “Ejercicio Vita” will benefit the local communities, as well as the participants of the exercise, who will improve skills and competencies that will lead to maintain the highest level of enlistment not only in the operational scope of the troops but in the same way in humanitarian assistance.
With the support of the Ministry of Interior, Ministry of Defense, Ministry of Health, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the United States Embassy in Colombia, different State institutions such as the National Unit for Disaster Risk Management, the Colombian Institute of Family Wellbeing, the Invima, Migration Colombia, the Colombian Civil Defense, the governors of Cesar and La Guajira, the National University of Colombia and the Juan N. Corpas University Foundation, medical assistance will be provided to the inhabitants of the indigenous communities of the municipalities of Carrizal, Tres Bocas, Porshina and Jojoncito, in the department of La Guajira.
These health care services will be led by the medical staff of the Joint Task Force Bravo (JTF-B), a unit of the United States Military Forces based at the Soto Cano Air Base, Comayagua, Honduras, of the Southern Command and the Colombian Military Forces, who will provide basic health services, such as: general medicine, dentistry, pediatrics and some surgeries previously coordinated with the San Rafael Hospital, in the municipality of San Juan del Cesar.
The exercise will include the use of helicopters 1-228 of the Aviation Regiment that will support medical and civil affairs operations in remote areas, as well as training in interoperability with the Colombian Military Forces.
The “Exercise Vita” has the purpose of conducting a combined military-to-military training reflecting commitment, good relations and joint work between the armies of Colombia and the United States, which train them in strategic, medical and tactical operations, strengthening their competences and preparing them to respond and react in humanitarian assistances in disasters.
In this way, the Military Forces of both countries will continue to prepare and work to be increasingly interoperable, open to sharing knowledge and responding to the challenges fulfilling the mission.
Source: Communications - Ministry of National Defense
