U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Marleah Cabano.
Story by Tech. Sgt. Marleah Cabano, Joint Task Force Bravo
PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti – U.S. Navy Rear Adm. Keith Davids, commander of JTF-Haiti, U.S. Southern Command (USSOUTHCOM), and U.S. Army Col. Steven Gventer, commander of JTF-Bravo, Soto Cano, Honduras, visited the Haiti 7.2 magnitude earthquake epicenter, Aug. 21, in Petit-Trou-de-Nippes, to assess damage and critical infrastructure.
“The Soldiers, Airmen, Marines, Sailors and Guardians of our Task Force are professionals, dedicated to serving our country as the go-to partner for building a safe and positive environment with our government partners like U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and the Haitian government,” said Gventer. “We are here to support our Haitian neighbors.”
“This trip provided senior leaders from Haiti and JTF-Haiti with a chance to see and talk with the people most impacted by the recent earthquake,” said Gventer. “Getting to see and hear their needs, and see firsthand the problems they face, helps to address it properly and quickly.”
At the request of USSOUTHCOM, service members deployed to support relief efforts for the people of Haiti after the nation was hit by the earthquake Aug.14.
U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Marleah Cabano.
After the earthquake, USSOUTHCOM stood up Joint Task Force-Haiti to coordinate military support under Davids, commander of U.S. Special Operations Command, South.
“Our goal is to save lives, alleviate suffering and demonstrate our enduring commitment to our Haitian partners,” said Davids. “We are working around the clock in support of USAID, who is the lead U.S. federal agency for foreign disaster assistance, to get aid to where it is needed most and as quickly as possible.”
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