Photo By Sarah Zaler | From left, the Colombian Air Force's Col. Elkin Osorio and Lt. Gen. Pablo Garcia,...... read more read more
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Lt. Gen. Pablo Enrique Garcia Valencia, chief of the Colombian Military mission in the Organization of American States and Colombia’s Inter-American Defense Board delegate, visited the United States Army Security Assistance Command (USASAC) in New Cumberland, Pennsylvania, Sept. 21, 2023.
This was the first visit to USASAC by a Colombian Air Force general. Garcia made the trip from Washington, D.C., to attend the farewell ceremony of Colombia’s Security Assistance Liaison Officer (SALO), Col. Elkin Osorio, and to meet with the USASAC team that handles Colombia’s Foreign Military Sales (FMS) cases.
Garcia is very familiar with the FMS program, having also served as the commander of the Colombian Air Force. He said the program is very important to maintaining the operations of their aircraft, and he wanted to thank the USASAC team in person for the work they do.
“We appreciate all the support for our forces with this program, and we hope to continue working together for our common goals of democracy, liberty and getting a better situation for our people,” Garcia said.
Colombia has had a SALO at USASAC for more than 15 years. While Osorio’s tenure only lasted one year, he was grateful for the opportunity to provide coordination and execution of the FMS cases that will bolster Colombia’s capabilities.
“For me, it was wonderful to work with the USASAC team,” Osorio said. “For example, our country program manager, Camille Hodge, and our country case manager, Tommie (Jones). It was amazing to work together to meet our goals.”
The direct engagement with USASAC allows SALOs to efficiently navigate the FMS life-cycle process, which helps to better equip and train their militaries. This results in stronger partnerships and enhanced regional and national security.
During the ceremony, Antoine Cheatham, deputy director for USASAC’s INDOPACOM/NORTHCOM/SOUTHCOM Regional Operations Directorate applauded Osorio’s efforts in strengthening the alliance between the countries and presented him with a certificate of achievement on behalf of USASAC.
The United States established diplomatic relations with Colombia over two centuries ago, following its independence from Spain. One of the oldest democracies in Latin America, Colombia and the United States share a commitment to promoting security, prosperity, and democratic governance in Colombia and across the Western Hemisphere.
For more information on USASAC and how it supports U.S. allies and partners across the globe, visit www.army.mil/usasac.
| Date Taken: | 09.21.2023 |
| Date Posted: | 09.25.2023 15:55 |
| Story ID: | 454233 |
| Location: | NEW CUMBERLAND, PENNSYLVANIA, US |
| Web Views: | 73 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, USASAC hosts Colombian general, farewells liaison officer, by Sarah Zaler, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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