Exercise to include simulated medical treatment and aeromedical evacuations in land-mine-contaminated areas
About 350 U.S. military personnel are scheduled to arrive in Colombia in early November for Southern Vanguard 2027, a two-week exercise with more than 400 Colombian soldiers. U.S. Southern Command said the 41st iteration will begin Nov. 2, 2026, at Tolemaida Military Base in Cundinamarca, a department in central Colombia, and continue through Nov. 11. The joint exercises are aimed at strengthening regional security and countering transnational threats.
In a statement posted on X on Monday, U.S. Southern Command said approximately 800 joint forces would conduct combined simulated operations through mid-November. The total includes 350 U.S. military personnel and more than 400 Colombian soldiers. The command said the simulated operations would strengthen regional security and readiness.
Training scenarios, medical simulations and personnel
UPI reported that troops from both countries will conduct training operations targeting drug trafficking, illegal mining and drone threats as part of the bilateral Southern Vanguard 2027 exercise. U.S. Southern Command said training scenarios will focus heavily on maritime interdiction, ground security operations, cyber defense and interagency cooperation.
The exercise, involving more than 400 Colombian Army personnel, will also include simulated emergency medical treatment and aeromedical evacuations in areas contaminated by land mines.
The U.S. contingent includes a light infantry unit from an elite mountain battalion that will exchange tactics with Colombia’s 1st Counternarcotics Battalion.
Shield of the Americas policy context
The deployment comes amid a shift in Colombia’s foreign and security policy under President Abelardo de la Espriella. UPI described de la Espriella as a right-wing leader. Colombia recently formalized its participation in Shield of the Americas, a regional security coalition promoted by U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration.
Southern Vanguard’s rotating program
Southern Vanguard is one of U.S. Southern Command’s major combined military training initiatives. The command said the program is designed to standardize tactical procedures and improve interoperability between U.S. forces and militaries across the Western Hemisphere.
The program rotates among Latin American host countries each year, allowing participating forces to practice coordinated responses to security emergencies and transnational threats in different operational environments.
Previous exercise in Peru
The previous Southern Vanguard exercise was held in September in Peru’s Amazon region. Military contingents from Argentina and Chile joined multilateral training focused on jungle survival, amphibious and ground mobility and operational planning in challenging rainforest conditions.