Several visits have taken place between high and mid-ranking U.S. and Paraguayan military officers to strengthen relations between the different branches of the Armed Forces of both countries.
From February 4th to 10th, senior officers from the Paraguayan Armed Forces visited the Logistics and Maintenance facilities at the Massachusetts National Guard Headquarters, in response to an invitation extended by military authorities of that institution. Among the delegation, representing the Paraguayan Army, was Colonel José María Benítez Velázquez, commander of the Logistics Group of this Command.
In Paraguay, at the Headquarters of the Army Engineering Command (COMINGE), a coordination meeting was held with representatives of the United States Armed Forces to conduct reconnaissance visits to COMINGE Units, in order to plan Joint Operations.
The planned operations include: Joint Combined Exchange Training (JCET) aimed at training in Civil Affairs activities at the 4th Engineering Battalion “Aquidabán”, Villa Choferes, Boquerón Department; and training related to the operation of road machinery, with the team from the Security Force Assistance Brigade (SFAB), to be held at the 3rd Construction Engineering Battalion, “Coronel Félix Cabrera,” Arroyito, Concepción Department.
Attending the meeting were the COMINGE Commander, Brigadier General Esteban Francisco Rodríguez Patiño, the Director General of Policy and Strategy of the Ministry of National Defense, Brigadier General Neill Roger Camaho Kailar, the Chief of Staff of COMINGE, Colonel DCEM Gustavo Alberto González Retamozo, the Chief of the United States Defense Cooperation Office, Captain Stephen Rittermann, and the Chief of the Naval Section of the National Guard and Major Austin Hoopes, Bilateral Affairs Officer, from the United States Embassy.
Cooperation with the USAF
The United States Air Force appreciated the combined work carried out with the Paraguayan Air Force; exercising flight tactics, techniques, and procedures, with the main objective of building interoperability in response to a possible emergency.
This follows the work carried out by American and Paraguayan personnel in flight operations in Paraguay, as expressed by the USAF portal: “US Air Force air advisor pilots flew alongside Paraguayan pilots to remote airstrips throughout the country using two C-208B aircraft from the Paraguayan Air Force. In addition to flying, a variety of ground topics were discussed including flight safety, maintenance procedures, fuel planning, weight and balance, search and rescue techniques (SAR), and air-ground integration (AGI) techniques”.
Monitoring Assistance
The commander of the Paraguayan Navy, Admiral Silvio Vargas, received members of the United States Defense Cooperation Office at his headquarters, including Colonel Lance Awbrey, Chief of Defense Affairs and Defense Attaché; Captain Stephen Rittermann, Navy Liaison Officer at the United States Cooperation Office; and Captain Ariel Benítez, Paraguayan Navy Liaison Officer to the Cooperation Office.
Topics related to Defense and Security concepts of Paraguayan sovereignty rivers, which are being carried out jointly, were discussed, as well as the organization of future training and activities in the preparation of personnel involved in surveillance and control tasks. The mutual desire to continue consolidating institutional links was also reiterated.
Let’s remember that the United States, through the Southern Command, plans to establish a river training and education center of excellence for military personnel in Paraguay.
*Photographs: courtesy of the Paraguayan Navy.
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