U.S. Army South’s Beyond the Horizon 2012 (BTH) exercise now is deploying deploying military engineers and medical professionals to Guatemala and Honduras serving rural communities and providing training.
Opening ceremonies took place yesterday for BTH Guatemala, while BTH Honduras officially opened April 16.
BTH, conducted annually, is part of U.S. Southern Command’s (SOUTHCOM) humanitarian and civic assistance program. Working closely with host nation forces and civilian organizations, BTH teams provide medical, dental and engineering support.
Under SOUTHCOM’s strategic guidance, Army South has planned and conducted BTHs since 2008.
U.S. personnel from the Army Reserve, National Guard and active duty forces construct schools and clinics and provide medical and dental support.
Each four-month BTH exercise involves several smaller events called medical readiness training exercises (MEDRETEs), consisting of a team of military medical and dental professionals who work in austere areas to gain valuable real-world training, while also providing medical services to people in need of treatment.
Army South was one of the first Army Service Component Commands to conduct joint BTHs and MEDRETEs.
This year, U.S. forces, with the approval of the governments of Guatemala and Honduras, selected several sites to provide engineering, medical and dental support.
U.S. forces will work alongside host nation forces as well as a variety of government and non-government organizations to build schools, clinics and conduct MEDRETEs.
Each BTH typically involves and trains about 1,400 U.S. service members and 150 host nation personnel.
BTHs are a major part of Army South’s regional engagement efforts and afford the opportunity to train service members while providing needed services to communities throughout the region. The relationships built and sustained with our partners help tremendously in building security and stability in the region.