The US Army is back in the jungle. Panamanians are showing soldiers the way.

Automatically curated summary from Army Times.

The U.S. Army has reestablished its 18-day Jungle Operations Training Course in Panama in partnership with Panamanian forces. Originally closed in 1999, the school features Panamanian service members as both instructors and students, sharing specialized jungle survival, tracking, and tactical skills. Lt. Col. Andrew Eagen noted that Panamanian troops possess crucial environmental expertise developed through real-world operations against drug cartels. While the training focuses on environmental combat skills rather than local security operations, officials plan to expand the course to other regional partners, including Colombia.

Context and limitations

Information regarding active cartel tactics in the Darién Gap relies on statements from military instructors, and the projected course expansion to other regional forces reflects military expectations rather than finalized official agreements.