Press Releases 2005

February 28, 2005

New Horizons 2005 in Panama

The exercise, called New Horizons 05 - Panama, will be conducted from 28 February to 10 May 2005. The scope of this humanitarian assistance exercise includes improving an existing school building, constructing three 2-room schools and three multi-purpose community centers as well as conducting medical readiness training that will provide basic medical and dental care to many rural communities in the Republic of Panama. The Texas-based U.S. Army South (USARSO) is the coordinating authority for the planning and execution of this exercise for U.S. Southern Command (USSOUTHCOM).

Supported by the Government of Panama civil defense agency, Sistema Nacional Para la Proteccion Civil (SINAPROC), the United States will participate in a Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) directed, USSOUTHCOM-sponsored, U.S. Army South-executed, readiness training exercise in the Republic of Panama. U.S. military engineering and support unit personnel, along with representatives of the Government of Panama’s Ministries of health, education as well as the Panamanian National Police, will participate in the exercise to be held from February 15 to May 15 2005.

The principal objective of NH05 is to provide Joint readiness training opportunities for U.S. military units and their host nation counterparts. The exercise clearly demonstrates continued U.S. support for our neighbors in Latin America and the Caribbean.

The training includes mobilization and deployment from the United States to the nation of Panama, performance of humanitarian and civic assistance projects, and deployment back to the United States. New horizons exercises provide excellent opportunities for U.S. personnel to refine engineering and medical skills while helping improve the quality of life for the people in Panama.

Approximately 450 U.S. servicemen and women, representing Reserve forces, will be in Panama at any one time.

The United States Southern Command, as the coordinator of all U.S. military forces in Central and South America and the Caribbean, has a long-term commitment to Panama and the entire region. With the New Horizons program, USSOUTHCOM continues providing much needed support to those in need, while providing excellent training for U.S. military forces.