U.S. Army South and Belize Defence Force Work Together to Provide Projects and Services to Communities in Belize

By Sgt. 1st Class John Etheridge/U.S. Army South
April 03, 2017

U.S. Army South, in partnership with the Belize Defence Force (BDF), and the Belizean ministries of Defence, Health, and Education are proud to announce “Beyond the Horizon 2017” (BTH), a collaborative training exercise involving numerous U.S., Belizean, and international participants. BTH will provide free medical and dental services, as well as build medical and educational facilities, valued at $10 million, to communities across Belize. The exercise will start on March 25th, and is scheduled to end the second week of June. BTH furthers the U.S. government’s continued commitment to the government and people of Belize in the field of humanitarian assistance. During the exercise, the BDF and many Belizean organizations will work side by side with U.S. military forces, learning from each other and serving the Belizean people. BTH will strengthen the partnership between the United States and Belize through collaboration on a variety of projects throughout Belize. The exercise will consist of five construction projects and three medical service events. The construction projects are as follows - Expansion of the emergency room at the Western Regional Hospital in Belmopan - Construction of a new medical waste incinerator housing at the Western Regional Hospital in Belmopan. - Construction of a new medical clinic building at the Ladyville Health Clinic. - Construction of a new medical clinic building at the Double Head Cabbage Clinic. - Construction of three new classrooms at St. Matthew’s Government School. Beginning on April 8th, members of the BDF and the Ministry of Health, as well as medical professionals from the United States and other partner nations, will provide free general medical and dental services to the Belizean people. The dates and locations of the medical and dental services are as follows: - April 8-13 and April 15-20: Ladyville Community Center/Hurricane Shelter, Ladyville, Belize District. - May 6-20: Macal River Park, San Ignacio, Cayo District. - May 20-June 3: D Company Barracks, Dangriga, Stann Creek District. BTH began in 2008 and continues the proud legacy of civic assistance programs in Central America. Past BTH exercises in Belize have included construction of schools in Double Head Cabbage and Dangriga, as well as free medical and dental services in Hattieville. For more information on the BTH exercise, please contact local government offices in locations hosting BTH projects and visit the BTH’s and the U.S. Embassy’s Facebook pages.