Amid regional tensions, the U.S. revives jungle warfare training in Panama. The U.S. Army has restarted training its troops in Panama, conducting an intense three-week course among the jungle's deadly wildlife and smothering heat. This program, known as the "Combined Jungle Operations Training Course," aims to enhance interoperability and mutual support between American and Panamanian forces.
"We're down here trying to build this force to be the best force that we can create down here, as safe as possible, even though we have the dangers of the environment," said Army Maj. Cody McBroom, the lead planner for the jungle course. "At the same time, we're just trying to work that piece with the Panamanians of a mutually supporting relationship here, how we work together, different tactics, techniques, and that mutual support from both sides to build a better course."
Last month, soldiers conducted weapons drills and learned survival techniques, including how to build shelters, purify water, and navigate the thick vegetation. McBroom confirmed that 46 troops graduated during the three-week course last month, comprising 27 Panamanians, 18 Marines, and one Army soldier.
"To survive in Hawaii, almost paradise on earth, is a whole lot different than trying to survive here in Panama," McBroom said. "Temperatures, humidity levels, trees that are trying to stick you with thorns and poison you down here, versus Hawaii, where everybody's living their perfect life."
Panama stated that the jungle training exercises are not related to the U.S. buildup of military firepower or any potential operation against Venezuela and are a byproduct of the agreement the nations struck earlier this year. This cooperation is another example of the administration ramping up its attention on the region, though in a "pretty narrow way," according to Benjamin Gedan, a senior fellow at the Stimson Center.
"If you were really pivoting to the Western Hemisphere, I think you would see a much broader strategy that takes advantage of many other tools of national power," Gedan said. At the same time, Panama has two motivations for negotiating the agreement with the U.S.: to build a closer military and security relationship and to "show" Washington that direct control of the canal by the U.S. is not necessary to guarantee its security.
