GAIL ALEXANDER
Senior Political Reporter
The U.S. Southern Command on Monday activated a Joint Task Force Western Hemisphere (JTF-WHEM) headquarters that will synchronize U.S. military operations with allies and partners —including T&T—to counter threats, strengthen regional security, and respond rapidly to crises across the Western Hemisphere.
U.S. sources told Guardian Media that allies and partners, which would be part of the purpose- built task force, would include TT’s Defence Force.
The new entity, which is structured to maintain sustained pressure on drug-trafficking networks and other groups that undermine regional security, also is expected to ” improve coordination with allied governments, accelerate decision-making and increase the tempo of multinational operations against criminal organizations operating regionally.”
As SouthComm’s operational headquarters for executing missions across the region, JTF-WHEM integrates intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, operational planning and multinational coordination “to increase pressure on nefarious organizations operating throughout the Western Hemisphere.
The JTF-WHEM will operate with the 18 nation Americas Counter Cartel Coalition (ACCC)—or Shield of the Americas—launched by US President Donald Trump in March in Florida. It includes T&T, Guyana, and certain South/Central American states
The ACCC’s aim is to strengthen intelligence sharing and co-ordinate regional operations against organised crime and drug cartels. T&T Prime Minister Kamla Persad- Bissessar was among leaders at the Florida launch.
The JTF-WHEM will be the new military headquarters to coordinate operations against drug cartels and other transnational criminal organizations across the Western Hemisphere.
It replaces the Joint Task Force Southern Spear established in 2025, to co-ordinate military operations with Latin America and Caribbean partners. T&T was part of this effort in which the U.S. employed kinetic strikes to destroy alleged narco-traffickers traversing Caribbean waters
SouthComm’s Public Affairs unit stated SouthComm Commander, General Francis L. Donovan, directed the activation of JTF-WHEM.
Donavan stated the JTF-WHEM is SouthComm’s “action arm for confronting threats across the hemisphere … It strengthens our ability to work alongside trusted allies and partners, synchronize military capabilities and apply sustained pressure against the networks that threaten our collective security…”
The new task force is designed as a permanent operational headquarters, bringing intelligence, surveillance, operational planning and multinational military coordination under a single command.
According to SouthComm, the command will integrate intelligence and surveillance capabilities, support maritime interdiction operations, oversee multinational planning and expand joint military training with partner nations.
It is geared to provide: “Unified command and control at the tactical and operational levels, integrating military capabilities with the 18 partner nations of the Americas Counter Cartel Coalition to increase operational effectiveness against threats that undermine regional security and impact the US and partner nations.”
SouthComm stated the creation of the new task force reinforces its broader strategy of combining military capabilities with multinational partnerships to strengthen regional security while enhancing the command’s ability to respond rapidly to crises throughout the Western Hemisphere.
Work includes co-ordinating humanitarian assistance and disaster response operations when needed.
Marine Corps Maj. Gen. Kevin Jarrard will lead the new headquarters.
Jarrard recently commanded U.S. military support for State Department-led disaster relief operations following the devastating June 24 earthquakes in Venezuela.
SouthComm added:
“Purpose-built and task-organized, this headquarters brings together tailored military capabilities and trusted partnerships to increase total systemic friction, operational tempo, impose sustained pressure on criminal organizations and strengthen the security of the US and our partners. Together with the 18 nations of A3C, we’re changing the way we confront these threats.”
