Source: United States SOUTHERN COMMAND
AHUACHAPAN, El Salvador –
U.S. military personnel joined forces with Salvadoran authorities in two events aimed at tackling animal health and overpopulation in El Salvador. The initiatives saw participation from the U.S. Embassy in El Salvador and Joint Task Force-Bravo’s Army Force Battalion veterinarian team.
On Feb. 19, a joint effort between the U.S. military and El Salvador’s Ministry of Agriculture saw the administration and distribution of more than 54,000 doses of ivermectin to local livestock. The initiative aims to curb the spread of vector-borne illnesses that threaten animal and human populations.
“El Salvador has been proactive in confronting the issues presented by vector-borne illnesses,” said Lt. Col. Steven Pelham, Veterinary Preventive Medicine Officer Army Force Battalion. “The opportunity to work with the Ministry of Agriculture has been a true privilege. I am honored to have been able to train together and learn from each other, united by one cause.”
Following the ivermectin distribution, Joint Task Force-Bravo hosted a veterinary readiness training exercise, or VETRETE, in Ahuachapan, El Salvador. The collaborative effort which included 33 individuals from City Hall, the Instituto de Bienestar Animal, Chivo Pets and Universidad Salvadoreña Alberto Masferrer provided free spaying and neutering services to approximately 300 animals.
“This is truly a knowledge exchange where we learn from one another and become better together,” Pelham said. “It’s been a great collaboration where we have been able to pool our resources and pull off a remarkable event where we all benefit and are better for it.”
The VETRETE provided U.S. military personnel with valuable experience in austere environments while simultaneously addressing the significant issue of animal overpopulation in El Salvador.
“There is an overpopulation of animals across El Salvador, and this is a great start in addressing the issue head-on,” said Pamela Figueroa, an IBA representative who oversaw event coordination. “Most people can’t afford to pay for these basic procedures, which are essential to ensuring a healthy pet population.”
U.S. Army Lt. Col. Carl Schreier, commander of Army Forces Battalion, concluded, “This has been a wonderful experience for JTF-Bravo and our personnel, who have not only become better at their jobs but have been able to fill a gap in a meaningful way. I look forward to the next one and the progress we make as a team.”