Dense jungle canopy, oppressive heat, and unforgiving terrain tested U.S. and Panamanian forces during the Combined Jungle Operations Training Course (CJOTC), conducted at Panama’s Cristóbal Colón Aeronaval Base, November 28-December 15, 2025. The 17-day course pushed participants to refine the skills needed to operate effectively in jungle environments while strengthening multinational interoperability.
CJOTC is a bilateral effort designed to prepare service members to survive, maneuver, and fight in challenging jungle conditions. Internationally recognized for its rigorous standards, the course, which launched mid-year, emphasizes small-unit tactics, leadership under stress, and adaptability in austere terrain.
The history of jungle training in Panama stretches back more than a century. Since World War I, the area at Cristóbal Colón Aeronaval Base has served as a proving ground for jungle operations. Today, that legacy continues through CJOTC, a joint initiative supported by the Joint Security Cooperation Group–Panama, which builds capability, trust, and enduring partnerships between the two nations’ security forces.
“We make sure that the squads are all built 50/50,” said U.S. Army Sergeant First Class Kevin Rouse, a course instructor. “That is, 50 percent U.S. service members and 50 percent Panamanian service members. We rotate squad leadership, so each squad member gets a leadership role and experiences how that plays out on missions.”
CJOTC placed a heightened emphasis on squad-level integration, deliberately mixing U.S. and Panamanian forces for the duration of the course. Every major training event — from planning to execution — was conducted at the squad level, reinforcing interoperability, encouraging constant communication and fostering shared problem-solving.
The course is about more than learning to navigate jungle terrain: It’s about forging effective teams across national and institutional lines. Participants planned missions, conducted patrols, and overcame environmental challenges alongside international counterparts, developing cohesion through shared hardship.
That partnership extended beyond students. Instructors, medics, and support personnel from both nations worked together to plan and execute each phase, ensuring consistent standards and a professional training environment.
“The biggest difference from the last course is just learning,” said U.S. Army Lieutenant Colonel De’Shane Greaser, the officer in charge. “We took after-action reports from both the 555th Engineer Brigade and the Lightning Academy advisors and integrated those comments to keep improving this course.”
Each phase of CJOTC reflected increasing organization and refinement. By blending Panamanian expertise in local terrain with U.S. experience in training design and sustainment, the course provided realistic, demanding scenarios that challenged students both physically and mentally.
“We don’t have the terrain they have in Hawaii, with deep gulches,” Lt. Col. Greaser said about the U.S. Army Jungle Operations Training Center in the Pacific island. “But we do have poisonous insects, snakes, crocodiles, and caiman.”
The completion of the third iteration of the CJOTC marked another step forward in the program’s evolution. Each class builds upon lessons learned from the last, improving methods, strengthening partnerships and reinforcing the shared commitment to regional security.
“If you want to test yourself and learn how to survive in the jungle, this is one of the best places you can come to,” Lt. Col. Greaser said. “It’s rough terrain, but you will learn a lot — and you’ll be able to take those lessons back to your unit.”
Through CJOTC, U.S. and Panamanian forces sharpened their jungle skills and reinforced a partnership that will enhance regional security for years to come. Overall, 26 students graduated from the course: 12 from the U.S. Marine Corps, 4 from the Panamanian National Police (PNP), 5 from the Panamanian National Air and Naval Service (SENAN), and 5 from the Panamanian National Border Service (SENAFRONT), bringing the total number of CJOTC graduates thus far to 72, with more to come.
