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Peruvian Army Colonel Sandor Gálvez is one of 11 partner nation military advisors (PNMA) at U.S. Southern Command (SOUTHCOM). Throughout his 30-year career, Col. Gálvez, who was born in Lima, has held command positions at various levels and brings a wealth of experience in the field of counterterrorism, most recently in the Apurimac, Ene, and Mantaro Rivers Valley (VRAEM), where…
Strolling through hallways and listening to students discuss peacekeeping missions or wandering in a classroom during an international humanitarian law lecture are part of daily life at Chile’s Joint Peacekeeping Operations Center (CECOPAC). Its students are members of the Chilean Armed Forces, Carabineros, Investigative Police, and civilians, who are preparing to be deployed to United Nations (U.N.) peacekeeping missions and…
The southern part of Quito, Ecuador, is home to the Armed Forces University, better known as ESPE. The school was originally established in 1922 as an engineering school for Army officers with a focus on military engineering. The school has gone through several changes since then, including the admission of civilian students in 1972. Diálogo recently sat down with ESPE’s…
With 31 years of military service, Chilean Marine Corps Captain Daniel Opazo is one of 11 partner nation military advisors (PNMA) to U.S. Southern Command (SOUTHCOM). Throughout his career, Capt. Opazo has held command positions at the platoon, company, and rifle battalion levels in the Chilean Marine Corps. He also served as a Special Forces instructor and commander of several…
Improving human capital, maintaining and increasing operational readiness, and strategic planning are the challenges General Javier Eduardo Iturriaga del Campo, commander of the Chilean Army, outlined as he assumed command on March 9, 2022. Gen. Iturriaga spoke with Diálogo about his vision of command, human capital, and institutional capabilities for mission success. Diálogo: You are the 61st commander in chief…
The defense of the environment and the preservation of natural resources is the primary role of the Brigade Against the Illegal Exploitation of Mineral Deposits. Its focus is to stop criminal organizations responsible for environmental destruction due to the illegal exploitation of mineral deposits to finance their illicit activities. Its commander, Colombian Army Colonel William Virgüez, spoke with Diálogo about…
Major Fernanda Kozlowski Görtz is a pioneer in the Brazilian Air Force (FAB). She graduated in 2006 from the first class of women at the Brazilian Air Force Academy (AFA) and is the first woman chief of Operations of the Special Flight Inspection Group (GEIV), a position she holds since January 2021. Maj. Fernanda Görtz talked with Diálogo about her…
As commander of the Seventh Coast Guard District, headquartered in Miami, Florida, Rear Admiral Brendan McPherson is responsible for all Coast Guard operations in the southeast United States and the Caribbean Basin, including Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The Seventh District encompasses an area of 4.6 million square kilometers and shares operational borders with…
Noncommissioned officers (NCOs) in Colombia are highly regarded regionally for their professionalism and hard work. Their leadership and experience in managing troops come with the great responsibility of being the commander’s right-hand man. Diálogo had the opportunity to talk with Joint Command Sergeant Major Luis Alfredo Bueno Márquez, sergeant major of the Colombian Military Forces, during his visit to U.S.…
Strategic military operations such as Sodom (2010) and Armageddon (2012) have earned Joint Task Force Omega national and international recognition. The force has some 8,000 troops from the Colombian Army, Navy, and Air Force to protect citizens and territory in the departments of Meta, Caquetá, and Guaviare from the criminal activities of residual organized armed groups (GAO-r) and other criminal…
Colombia has a new military command to confront narcotrafficking and transnational threats — the Command Against Drug Trafficking and Transnational Threats (CONAT, in Spanish). Diálogo had the opportunity to visit CONAT’s facilities to talk with its commander, Colombian Army Brigadier General Walther Adrián Giraldo Jiménez, and to learn about the progress made since the command’s creation and its strategies to…
U.S. Army General James Dickinson, commander of U.S. Space Command (USSPACECOM) is committed to several lines of effort as the command drives toward full operational capability, including strengthening relationships, attracting new partners, and building and maintaining a competitive advantage. Gen. Dickinson spoke with Diálogo about his partnership with nations within U.S. Southern Command’s (SOUTHCOM) area of responsibility, and the security…
