A Joint Combined Exchange Training (JCET) was carried out in Uruguay, April 14-May 10, 2022. During this edition of the JCET program, a team of 12 U.S. Special Forces members had the opportunity to train alongside their Uruguayan counterparts from the Army, Navy, and Air Force. The objective was to keep up strengthening the partnership and cooperation between Uruguay and the United States to advance mutual security objectives.
The focus of this particular JCET training was defensive operations, medical response and civilian protection, which included cargo and military airdrops, deployment of specialized personnel, and humanitarian relief in crisis or disaster situations, whether natural or man-made. In addition, the training included paramedic training for participants to acquire skills in providing basic level medical care during peacekeeping missions, as well as during possible national emergencies.
Another module of the exchange included mission planning and leadership development for noncommissioned officers, which aimed to contribute to the professionalization of the force, including readiness to respond to national missions and in support of peacekeeping operations. It also featured decision-making training, focusing on procedures to improve the critical thinking skills of personnel responding to crisis and/or emergency situations in accordance with national and international laws.
Finally, the agenda of activities also included specialized training for tactical teams to maintain special operations units in optimal conditions to respond in the protection of the civilian population, and to respond to crisis events during Peacekeeping Operations, for example, in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
“This military exchange will pay dividends for years to come. Events like this enhance the relationship between our nations’ armed forces while making our humanitarian assistance capabilities more secure and effective,” said U.S. Defense Attaché to Uruguay Colonel Gary Symon. In addition, Col. Symon noted that Uruguayan service members operated in a cohesive manner throughout the exchange. “The skills developed during this event will enhance our combined disaster response capabilities in the Western Hemisphere,” he concluded