Army Staff Talks Begin in El Salvador

Maj. Gen. Simeon Trombitas, Army South commander, and Brig. Gen. Cesar Acosta, El Salvador army commander, discuss issues of mutual concern during the army-to-army Staff Talks, July 20.

SAN SALVADOR, July 20, 2011 – U.S. Army South began annual staff talks today with the El Salvadoran army as part of an ongoing effort to enhance military relationships, capabilities and professional engagements between the two armies.

“These annual staff talks are a key component of the long-standing professional relationship between the armies of El Salvador and the United States,”  said Maj. Gen. Simeon G. Trombitas, commander of Army South.   “The talks allow us to set a course for exchange and relationship  building for the next year that will continue to enhance our partnership.”

The talks will last two days and involve a variety of professional briefings and the approval of agreed to actions developed in work groups during which the armies shared information and planned for future military exchanges. 

The U.S. Army Staff Talks Program serves as a bilateral forum for strategic-level discussion between respective armies.  The Staff Talks Program seeks to promote bilateral efforts in order to develop professional partnerships and increase interaction between partner nation armies.

Army South conducts staff talks with El Salvador, Chile, Brazil and Colombia on behalf of the U.S. Army as part of the Army and U.S. Southern Command’s theater security cooperation mission in South and Central America and the Caribbean.

“We are fortunate in our theater that the Chief of Staff of the Army has delegated to us the ability to conduct staff talks with our most important partners in the region,”  Trombitas said.  “The staff talks enhance our capabilities and interoperability with our partners.  The talks also allow us to discuss issues facing all of our armies and we can compare notes on the challenges we have and look for common solutions.”

Army South has conducted staff talks with El Salvador every year since 2007.  The talks have allowed the two armies to continue to build on what is a very strong and important partnership.

“El Salvador has provided troops to accompany us in operations in Iraq,” Trombitas said.  “They sent 11 rotations of soldiers in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.  They are a close and important ally for the U.S. and we look forward to continuing this very successful partnership.”