An official website of the United States government         Here's how you know         
**Official websites use .mil**
A **.mil** website belongs to an official U.S. Department of Defense organization in the United States.
**Secure .mil websites use HTTPS**
 A **lock (lock )** or **https://** means you’ve safely connected to the .mil website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

Skip to main content (Press Enter).

U.S. Southern Command

Search
Search

Search

-  Home		 
-  About    -  About Main             
  -  Area of Responsibility             
  -  Leadership             
  -  SOUTHCOM Components and Units             
  -  History             
  -  SOUTHCOM Inspector General 
-  Commander's Priorities    -  Commander's Priorities Main             
  -  Strengthen Partnerships      -  Theater Maintenance Partnership Initiative (TMPI) 
  -  Counter Threats             
  -  Build Our Team 
-  Media    -  Media Main             
  -  News             
  -  Press Releases             
  -  Photos             
  -  Videos             
  -  Speeches | Transcripts             
  -  Special Coverage             
  -  SOUTHCOM Podcast 
-  USAG-M / Military-Family Services    -  U.S. Army Garrison-Miami      -  Equal Employment Opportunity Office 
  -  Overview of Services at SOUTHCOM             
  -  About the SOUTHCOM Installation and Local Community             
  -  Miami Family and MWR      -  Army Community Services             
    -  Child, Youth and School Services             
    -  Leisure Travel Services             
    -  Fitness Center 
  -  Visiting SOUTHCOM             
  -  Army Health Clinic SOUTHCOM             
  -  Hurricane Preparedness Info             
  -  Conference Center of the Americas             
  -  Theater Clearance Info             
  -  SOUTHCOM Chaplain             
  -  TEAM SOUTHCOM - Total Engagement for All Members of U.S. Southern Command             
  -  Logistics Readiness Center-Miami             
  -  Public Notice – Environmental Assessment for the Construction of a Military Housing Development             
  -  SHARP (SAPR) 
-  Newcomers    -  Newcomers Main             
  -  Sponsor Request             
  -  Directions to SOUTHCOM             
  -  Army Newcomers             
  -  Navy Newcomers             
  -  Air Force Newcomers             
  -  Marine Corps Newcomers             
  -  Coast Guard Newcomers             
  -  Reserve Newcomers             
  -  Civilian Newcomers             
  -  Contractor Newcomers             
  -  Family Member Newcomers             
  -  Newcomers to Overseas Locations in SOUTHCOM 
-  Work With Us    -  Employment | Careers             
  -  Public / Private Cooperation             
  -  Operational Contract Support             
  -  SOUTHCOM Industry Engagement 
-  FOIA    -  FOIA Main             
  -  How to file A FOIA Request             
  -  FOIA Fees and Exemptions             
  -  Your FOIA Rights             
  -  ​FOIA Reading Room 
-  Contact    -  Contact SOUTHCOM             
  -  Community Requests             
  -  FAQ             
  -  Contact SOUTHCOM Inspector General             
  -  Directions to SOUTHCOM 

HomeMediaNews

PHOTO INFORMATION

** Download

** Details

** Share

# Central American, ARSOUTH leaders meet to discuss regional challenges

By Sgt. 1st Class Matthew GrahamU.S. Amry South

SAN ANTONIO– The first day of the Central American Regional Leaders Conference took place today on Joint Base San Antonio, Fort Sam Houston. In attendance are senior military and police officials from throughout Central America. 

During the three-day conference, these senior leaders will discuss regional challenges and ways to work with each other and the United States to solve these problems. Not only will the conference allow them to develop and agree to a plan for the next three to five years, the leaders will also take a look back at the previous conference agreements and assess progress. 

“Every partner here today is already successful. We all have the capacity to protect our sovereign borders and disrupt threats,” said Maj. Gen. K.K. Chinn, commanding general, U.S. Army South. Chinn, the host for the conference, also stressed the importance of building trust and relationships during the conference.

“It takes a network to beat a network,” he said referring to all the partners in the room, “and our common threat is illicit networks that are operating in our region.” 

One solution to that question came from Belize Defense Force Commander Brig. Gen David Jones. Jones suggested a new joint venture to help to counter drug trafficking in the Western Hemisphere. 

“All the countries represented here need to be a player and need to be willing to cooperate in such a venture,” he said after volunteering to host the first meeting.

At its inception, only five nations attended the conference. Ten countries are participating in this year’s discussions, including the Dominican Republic and Colombia, who have not previously attended the conference.

“Open and frank discussion is the overall goal of the conference. Allowing for a dialogue and exchange of ideas are the reasons why the conference was started 10 years ago and continues to evolve every year,” said Col. Rocky Burrell, director for Army South Regional Affairs and one of the key organizers of the conference. 

“Communication is key, we have to prioritize our threats and determine how to best work together on achieving our common goals,” said Maj. Gen. (ret.) Simeon Trombitas, the conference’s facilitator.

The conference will give allotted time for each country’s representatives to share insights about their respective capabilities and challenges. These presentations help inform the other partners in attendance and provide the opportunity to identify potential areas of mutually beneficial collaboration and cooperation at the partner nation level.

According to an introductory brief from Col. Tim Teague, director of plans for U.S. Army South, there are four main threats which plague the security of Central American countries, drug trafficking, gang activity throughout Central and North America, migration trends and how migration stresses partner nation resources, and violent extremist organizations. 

“These four threats are complex problem sets that will take a considerable amount of strategic planning and resource commitment to help solve,” said Teague. 

If the three day conference is successful in achieving its objectives, said Burrell, each partner nation army and police organization in attendance will return home and provide an outline to their nation’s leaders about how army and law enforcement branches can to assist in achieving real results against these threats.

**                    SHARE                

**                    PRINT                

Maj. Gen. K.K. ChinnCentral Americathreat networksSecurity CooperationBuilding Partner Capacitypartner of choiceConferenceTexas