Expanding on their close ties dating back to World War II, soldiers from the U.S. and Brazilian armies stood next to each other with a new sense of brotherhood during the closing ceremony of Southern Vanguard 22 held Dec. 16, 2021, at the Agulhas Negras Military Academy. Southern Vanguard is an annual training exercise designed to increase interoperability between the United States and its South American partners. During this iteration of Southern Vanguard, the training involved more than 1,000 Soldiers from U.S. Army South, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), and Brazil’s 5th Battalion, 12th Infantry Brigade (Air Assault), 2nd Division, culminating in bilateral air assault operations. The exercise is a key enabler to prepare U.S. Army South in its mission to support and quickly respond to any U.S. Southern Command contingency in the Western Hemisphere.
“This is a historic exercise for both nations. The Brazilian army has a storied history working alongside the Americans during WWII and we are proud to strengthen our ties by conducting Southern Vanguard 22. This historical partnership stems from us sharing a commitment to democracy,” said Gen. Tomás Miguel Miné Ribeiro Paiva, the commanding general of the Southeast Military Command in São Paulo, Brazil.
“The 101st has committed significant assets to make Southern Vanguard 22 happen. The Rakkasans have done an outstanding job of being ready to make this a highly successful mission. Their level of professionalism throughout this whole exercise has made for a highly cohesive training environment for everyone involved,” said Col. Chip Karels, the Training and Exercise Chief for U.S. Army South.
More than 1,000 soldiers will participate in the 10-day exercise, including forces from Brazil’s 5th Battalion, 12th Infantry Brigade; U.S. Army South; and 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) to conduct joint tactical training. Southern Vanguard is a rotating exercise that Army South conducts with partner nations in Central and South America, and the ultimate goal is to establish a multinational exercise that will improve readiness, security, and interoperability in the Western Hemisphere. The armies enhanced their interoperability by conducting weapons familiarization, air assault operations, and tactical training to include setting up defensive fighting positions, tactical casualty care and medical evacuation, live fires, and urban combat operations. Additionally, they conducted cold-load training and helicopter familiarization.
Southern Vanguard allowed both armies to share operational and tactical expertise so they are better prepared to respond rapidly to crises in the region. More importantly, the exercise was a showcase of the strong relationship and professional partnership between the forces taking part during the event. Southern Vanguard 22 required an extensive planning process to ensure its success. U.S. Army South began planning the exercise in 2019 to maximize the effectiveness of the training. Hosting Southern Vanguard 22 in Brazil is historically significant as this is the first time the U.S. has held a major training event with Brazil since World War II. The U.S. Army’s history of cooperation with Brazil dates back to World War II, where the Brazilian army sent a division-sized element to fight beside the U.S. Fifth Army and was the only Latin American force to participate in the Allied campaign. It’s one thing to say that Brazil is a partner of the U.S., but going out and completing this training alongside Brazil’s Army, is a real testament to the commitment to supporting each other.
