February 8, 2006

US Army South Begins Humanitarian Projects

San Antonio, TX – US Army South (USARSO) officially announced the start of humanitarian assistance projects known as New Horizons in the countries of Dominican Republic and El Salvador in the capital city of each country in late January.

The official announcements were made during media events in San Salvador and Santo Domingo where U.S. Ambassador’s to Dominican Republic and El Salvador as well as high-level government officials of the respective countries participated.

During the press conference in Santo Domingo, Hans H. Hertell, US Ambassador to the Dominican Republic told the media, “This is an example of the excellent coordination between two friendly nations and the joint efforts of our Reserve Units and personnel from the various government and military organizations here working together.”

In the Province of Barahona, which is located more than 4 hours of Santo Domingo, the task force comprised of Army National Guard and Air Force units will build four clinics and conduct 3 medical exercises providing basic medical and dental care in rural areas.

At a luncheon attended by Douglas Barclay, US Ambassador to El Salvador, Maj. Gen. Otto Alejandro Romero Orellana, minister of defense and other government officials announced to editors of local media outlets the start of the New Horizons in El Salvador.

“In our two years here, my wife, Dee Dee, and I have had the pleasure of visiting some of the towns who have benefited from New Horizons.  We have talked to the soldiers and doctors and, more exciting still, with the adults and children who now have schools or community centers or who have gotten free medical care.  The gratitude expressed on their faces makes us proud of what we – North Americans and Salvadorans – have done together.  I know that the tenth joint exercise, New Horizons 2006, will contribute in equal fashion to the quality of life of many people in the Department of Morazán,” said Barclay.

The projects include constructing two 3-room community centers that will be multi-purpose buildings, three 2-room schools and three wells.  Army National Guard and Air Force medical personnel will also provide basic medical and dental care to many rural communities in El Salvador.

U.S. Army South headquarters is the organization responsible for the oversight of both New Horizons.

“From our perspective we are pleased that our servicemen and women will be able to carry out a number humanitarian projects in El Salvador and the Dominican Republic, in a unique training opportunity that will benefit both our countries,” said Col. Thomas A. Heaney, deputy commander for operations, U.S. Army South.

The Department of Defense uses these humanitarian exercises as a vehicle to train U.S. forces while helping our neighbors.  This series of annual Joint-combined training exercises is conducted under statutory authorization that permits training U.S. forces overseas by allowing them to deploy and conduct humanitarian and civic assistance projects in foreign countries, stated Heaney.

These exercises also provide valuable mobilization and deployment experience.  They require units to conduct the numerous training objectives that include logistical operations to support the deployments to remote regions.

Although similar training is conducted in the United States, U.S. Active, National Guard and Reserve units receive far greater training value through an overseas deployment.  Additionally, there are often limits placed on the type and scope of work military units can do in the U.S. without being in direct competition with private industry, added Heaney.

The National Guard and Reserve Units supporting both New Horizons are coming from at least 24 States as well as Puerto Rico and Washington, DC.