Army South hosts PANAMAX 2022 Planning in Crisis exercise

SAN ANTONIO, Texas – U.S. Army South hosted component planners and military representatives from seven Caribbean and South American countries for PANAMAX 2022 Planning in Crisis (PIC) training here from 6-10 June, 2022.

PANAMAX 2022 is a U.S. Southern Command-sponsored, multinational annual exercise scheduled for 1-12 August, 2022 with a purpose of strengthening partnerships, enhancing readiness and improving interoperability between U.S. Armed Forces and partner nations. This planning event served as an opportunity to build upon the combined capabilities of planning and executing complex operations during the upcoming exercise.

“One of our number one priorities is always partnership,” said Maj. Gen. William Thigpen, commanding general of U.S. Army South and PANAMAX 2022 commanding general of multinational forces. “Although we come from different countries, different services and we speak different languages we’ve got to develop a very common framework and sight picture on how we see our planning process.”

Chilean Army Logistics Division Commander and Deputy Commanding General of Multinational Forces for PANAMAX 2022, Maj. Gen. Ricardo Stangher, said the PIC is an opportunity for all of the military branches of partner nation forces to practice the planning process and procedures together as well as share common doctrine.

“During this exercise, we have been able to engage with partner nations and their staff to exchange views and establish professional bonds which will carry forward in a future scenario that will require a multinational response,” said Stangher. “Training together in this PIC exercise brings us closer to having a greater certainty regarding the efficiency of the joint planning procedures that could eventually be applied in a situation that affects regional security.”