NY Army National Guard Soldiers heading to Brazil for Exercise Southern Vanguard
Forty-eight Soldiers will train with the 101st Airborne Division troops and Brazilian jungle soldiers in Amazon basin
Latham, NY (10/26/2023) — LATHAM, New York--Forty-eight New York Army National Guard Soldiers are heading for Brazil the weekend of October 28-29 to participate in an exercise with Brazil's 52nd Jungle Infantry Battalion, and Soldiers from the 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault).
Exercise Southern Vanguard 24's main action will take place near the city of Macapa, which is in the Amazon Delta, according to 1st Lt. Elliot Zalewski, a project planning officer for the New York National Guard.
The scenario for the three-week exercise calls for the Brazilian battalion, and an infantry company, and other Soldiers from the 101st, to conduct tactical exercises in the Amazon rainforest, Zalewski said.
Participating in this exercise will enable the New York National Guard to continue to develop its State Partnership Program relationship with Brazil, according to Army Brig. Gen. Isabel Smith, the New York National Guard's director of joint staff.
"The exercise will continue to expand and increase interoperability between the New York National Guard and Brazil," Smith said.
"We look forward to continuing knowledge sharing and relationship building with our Brazilian partners," she added.
The New York National Guard and Brazil's military initialed a State Partnership Program agreement in 2019.
Southern Vanguard exercises are organized by U.S. Army South and pair U.S. Army elements with those of South American militaries.
Exercise Southern Vanguard 23, for example, took place in Colombia and members of the Georgia and Illinois Army National Guard's participated.
The New York National Guard Soldiers will come from:
The 53rd Digital Liaison Detachment, based at the Park Avenue Armory in Manhattan.
The 1st Battalion, 258th Field Artillery which is currently headquartered at Camp Smith Training Site near Peekskill but is normally headquartered in Queens.
The 133rd Composite Supply Company, based at Fort Hamilton, Brooklyn.
The 466th Medical Company (Area Support) from Queensbury.
The 138th Public Affairs Detachment from Camp Smith Training Site.
The Soldiers will be transported to and from Brazil on board a C-17 Globemaster III transport flown by the New York Air National Guard's 105th Airlift Wing.
The 466th Medical Company will provide medical services during the exercise, while the 138th Public Affairs Detachment conducts public affairs operations, Zalewski said.
The 53rd Digital Liaison Detachment, whose Soldiers are trained to interact with other nation's military forces, will work with the Brazilian battalion's operations section, Zalewski said.
The field artillery Soldiers will work with the Brazilians on coordinating fire support missions, he said.
Thirty-eight of the New York Army National Guard Soldiers will attend a three-day jungle survival course alongside members of the 101st Airborne Division outside the city of Belem.
Soldiers from the 53rd Digital Liaison Detachment will not go through the training because of their duties as headquarters staff, Zalewski said.
Since entering into the State Partnership with Brazil, the New York Air National Guard has sent aircraft and personnel to participate in Brazilian exercises, and Air Guard personnel specializing in space operations have worked with their Brazilian counterparts.
New York Soldiers and Airmen have attended the Brazil Jungle Warfare School, and New York Army Guard Soldiers took part in Brazil's Operation Parana, an international military domestic response exercise in May 2023.
Media Attachments
U.S. and Colombian Army Soldiers stand in formation during the closing ceremony of Exercise Southern Vanguard 23 at Tolemaida Military Base, Colombia on Nov. 16, 2022. Exercise Southern Vanguard is U.S. Army South's premier training exercise. This year 48 New York Army National Guard Soldiers will participate in the exercise, which is being held in Brazil, which has a State Partnership Program relationship with the New York National Guard. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. 1st Class Alan Brutus)