PANAMAX 2016 Initial Planning Conference

U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. Alfredo Rivera, 612th Air Operations Center and Combined Force Air Component Commander team lead, leads a working group made up of air component partner nation counterparts from Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, Chile, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Guatemala, Panama, and Peru during the PANAMAX 2016 Initial Planning Conference in Miami, Fla., Jan. 28, 2016. The Initial Planning Conference at U.S. Southern Command’ Conference Center of the Americas was held Jan. 25-29 and included members from 15 countries throughout the USSOUTHCOM area of responsibility. PANAMAX is an exercise designed to help the U.S. develop and sustain relationships with our Latin American partner nations in order to improve the capacity of our partners' security forces. By fostering and understanding between participating forces we achieve common desired goals of increasing interoperability among participating nations. Ensuring the security of the Panama Canal scenario effectively facilitates international exchanges. (Courtesy photo/Released)