The US Army is sending approximately 45 Security Force Assistance Brigade (SFAB) soldiers to Honduras in early 2021 for a seven-month stint to work with the Central American nation’s military, the service told Janes .
In late November United States Army South (USARSOUTH) issued a solicitation for contracted meal services to support SFAB troops in Olancho, Honduras, from 4 January 2021 until 31 July 2021, and a public affairs officer for the 1st SFAB from Fort Benning, Georgia confirmed the deployment.
Their mission will be to “provide Honduran partners assistance based on their operational and institutional needs to achieve shared strategic objectives through our co-operative relationship,” Major Chris Webb told Janes on 3 December. He noted that these troops will only be working with Honduran forces during this time and will not fan out into other countries.
In October 1st SFAB Commander Colonel Thomas Hough said that this mission was on the horizon.
“I think our next opportunity in [the region] to partner is going to be in Honduras [and] that will probably happen over the next couple months,” Col Hough told reporters at the time.
This forthcoming deployment marks the second time that SFAB soldiers will deploy to the US Southern Command area of responsibility. The first time occurred earlier this year when the army sent a 45-member task force into Colombia to support the nation’s military with counter-narcotics operations in an ‘advise and assist’ capacity.
Sergeant First Class Jeremiah Velez, left, an advisor with 3rd Squadron, 1st SFAB, works with a simulated foreign partner during a field training exercise in October 2019 at Fort Benning, Georgia. Soldiers from the 1st SFAB will head to Honduras in January 2021. (US Army)
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