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Video by Staff Sgt. Angel Martinez-Navedo

Beyond the Horizon 2018 - El Salvador: U.S. Troops Provide Medical Care and Construction Projects

156th Wing

June 29, 2018 | 4:16

B-roll stringer of United States Service Members from Active Duty, Reserve and Guard components from across the nation working alongside El Salvadoran military personnel at Beyond the Horizon 2018 - El Salvador. This b-roll footage shows members of the Illinois Army Reserve's 330th Medical Brigade, Utah's 328th Combat Support Hospital and 172nd Multifunctional Medical Battalion and Wisconsin's 452nd CSH performing Medical Readiness Training Exercises (MEDRETEs - pronounced Med-Rets) in the municipality of Zacatecoluca (pronounced Za-kah-te-co-lou-kah) from June 25-29. During the MEDRETEs, services provided to the citizens of El Salvador include; optometry, dental, pediatric, women's health and pharmaceutical care.

In addition to medics from the U.S. Armed Forces, El Salvador's Ministry of Health and local host nation organizations like Operation Blessing, provide additional medical staff all playing an important role in reaching a total of almost 1,000 patients per day. This year's BTH2018 - El Salvador, has treated more than 10,500 patients to date. BTH2018 incorporates nearly 1,800 U.S. service members with participation from all branches of service, Army, Navy, Air Force and Marines in addition to approximately 200 host nation troops plus government and non-governmental organizations. Service members provide medical assistance and engineering projects as part of the humanitarian/training exercise. BTH2018 - El Salvador construction projects include building two schools from-the-ground-up plus extensions to two existing schools and to the Zacatecoluca Health Clinic in the county of La Paz.

BTH is an annual U.S. Southern Command (SOUTHCOM) mission, being led this year by the Puerto Rico National Guard's Joint Task Force Hope. BTH2018 - El Salvador, has been running since May 12, and is expected to conclude on August 4. (U.S. National Guard video by Staff Sgt. Angel Martinez)