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JBSA News
NEWS | March 18, 2019

Peruvian Army's commanding general visits U.S. Army South

By Sgt. Ashley Dotson U.S. Army South Public Affairs

The commanding general of the Peruvian Army, Gen. Jorge Céliz, conducted a trip Feb. 26-27 to Joint Base San Antonio-Fort Sam Houston to meet with Maj. Gen. Mark Stammer, U.S. Army South commander, to engage U.S. Army medical and maneuver centers.

"This trip is extremely important to me and my staff who joins me, because it will help the institutional transformation process we are conducting in Peru," Céliz said. "Here, for instance, we see how the United States develops this same process, something that they have come far in implementing already."

Céliz and his Peruvian army training and doctrine leaders engaged with Army South leadership to advance the regional partnership and to present the Peruvian army transformation efforts.

The visit also allowed the Peruvian leaders to visit other locations on the installation, including the U.S. Army Health Readiness Center of Excellence, to better understand the training and education provided to the U.S. Army Soldiers and also the training provided to the instructors.

During his visit, Céliz addressed his vision, Peruvian guidelines for the transformation, and the current status of the Peruvian army's transformation process.

"We are committed to modernizing, creating real and effective capabilities, becoming a multi-mission army, however, always in compliance with the security needs of our society," Céliz said

He also pointed out interoperability as a strategic effort between the armed forces and police to facilitate the fight against challenges that "affect nearly all nations of the Southern Hemisphere, such as narcotrafficking."

"Engagements such as this one are opportunities to build interoperability and to learn more about our partner nations, their concerns, and where our mutual interests align to enhance readiness and increase regional security," Stammer said.

Following their visit to Texas, the Peruvian leadership and Army South leaders made a visit to the Western Hemisphere Institute for Security Cooperation at Fort Benning, Georgia, to better understand the maneuver training and education provided to the U.S. Army Soldiers.

Céliz said the Peruvian army is currently working on combining its own maneuver training and plans to take advantage of instructor training opportunities with the U.S. Army.