Unified in purpose: Southern Vanguard 2025 marks a milestone in regional cooperation

LOS ÁNGELES, Chile – As Exercise Southern Vanguard 25 (ExSV25) concludes Aug. 29, 2025 in the Chilean Andes, a powerful message resonates across the Americas: regional unity, military cooperation, and operational readiness are stronger than ever.

Led by U.S. Army South (USARSOUTH), hosted by the Chilean army and conducted in collaboration with the armies of Argentina and Peru, this year’s exercise marks a pivotal step forward in building trust, enhancing interoperability, and reinforcing a shared commitment to security and stability in the Western Hemisphere.

“Southern Vanguard is more than an exercise; it’s a demonstration of our enduring partnership and our shared commitment to security and stability in this hemisphere,” said U.S. Army South Commanding General, Maj. Gen. Philip Ryan.

“You were able to accomplish our ambitious objectives, enhance capabilities, improve interoperability, and strengthen readiness. You mastered survival, movement, sustainment skills, and improved communications and mission command in an austere environment.”

Over the course of the exercise, over 600 soldiers from four nations worked side-by-side, training in complex scenarios designed to strengthen combined capabilities and prepare for real-world challenges. What began as a mission-driven training event has ended as a symbol of lasting partnership and mutual respect among allied forces.

“The pursuit of interoperability was a constant challenge because it encompassed all areas required to conduct an exercise of this magnitude,” said General de Brigada III Mountain Division Commander Claudio Mardones Petermann.

“Planning involved the execution of operations, the major logistical and administrative effort capable of sustaining more than 600 troops, accommodations, machinery, equipment and fuel for one month in the field.”

Mardones highlighted the combined U.S. and Chilean command post and proudly reflected on witnessing Soldiers take the extra effort to find the right words to operate.

“It was truly gratifying, because that is also interoperability.”

Mardones quoted Edmund Hillary, the first man to reach the highest peak on earth, “It is not the mountain we conquer, but ourselves.”

ExSV25 participants indeed conquered all obstacles and succeeded in bringing together a multinational light infantry company, battalion tactical command post, and approximately 300 combat enablers from the U.S. and Chilean armies to execute a field training exercise and command post exercise in a demanding mountain environment.

“I’m incredibly proud of our Patriot Soldiers who deployed to Chile for Southern Vanguard 25," said the 3rd Brigade, 10th Mountain Division Commander, Col. Joshua Glonek.

" This exercise represents an important milestone in a campaign to rebuild mountain warfare proficiency across the 10th Mountain Division. The Soldiers of 2-2 Infantry demonstrated mastery of combat skills in an alpine environment, while also employing some of the newest battlefield technologies in the harsh conditions of the Andes mountains."

Participating units from the U.S. Army included: U.S. Army South Headquarters and Headquarters Battalion assets, the 1st Security Forces Assistance Brigade, the 3rd Light Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Regiment, 10th Mountain Division, the 207th Digital Liaison Detachment, 1st Mission Support Command, 35th Expeditionary Signal Battalion, 841st Engineer Battalion Forward Support Company, the 138th Public Affairs Detachment, the 480th Medical Detachment, 807th Theater Medical Command, 256th Field Hospital and 919th Medical Company. The U.S. Air Force was also present with a detachment from the 224th Joint Communications Support Squadron, Joint Communications Support Element.

“The Soldiers were given a hard challenge and they continued to perform at the level expected and they exceeded the standard,” said Staff Sgt. Brendan Slavin of the 207th Digital Liaison Detachment, 412th Theater Engineer Command, U.S. Army Reserve.

Slavin, who spent three years of his Army career in the 10th Mountain Division at Fort Drum, N.Y. was humbled by the opportunity to serve in the exercise direction section and learn about main command post operations.

“I got to see how effective we all are in austere conditions given the challenges of snow, cold and language barriers,” said Slavin.

“It was a learning experience, I never saw both perspectives. We were still able to effectively complete objectives while upholding our morale compasses in a multinational exercise.”

During EXSV25’s one month duration of intense field activities, units deployed to the Antuco region of Chile to military camps: Rayenco, La Cortina and Los Barros. The units executed operations in mountain conditions and extreme climate testing their planning, mobility, command and control, logistics and communications capabilities.

“The work does not end here. We will carry the experiences of Southern Vanguard into our after-action reviews, our schoolhouses, and our future combined events.” said Ryan.

“You forged bonds of trust and respect that outlast any single exercise. Those relationships, leader to leader, squad to squad, are what make us more adaptable, and more resilient when crises demand action.”

The 17th Mountain Detachment, 3rd Mountain Division of the Chilean Army, who are proficient in mountainous warfare and sustainment, hosted and led the training.

“The exercise consolidated Chile’s position in the training of mountain troops, highlighting us as a reliable partner in international cooperation,” said Mardones.

“It was not all about planning or tactical maneuver– In this exercise we have also experienced the moments that have forged us into a team. We have shared our rations in the field, talked around the fire, supported one another during marches, and most importantly we have forged friendships that transcend borders and will endure beyond this exercise.”

The exercise included the “Cazadores 6” Company, of the 6th Mountain Brigade, Argentine army and a squad from the mountain school of the Peruvian army.

“The success of Southern Vanguard 25 confirmed that we are capable of operation as a single multinational force with combined command structures , under extreme conditions, and with the highest level of professionalism,” said Mardones.

“The exercise has brought us together with a clear purpose, to enhance interoperability among the armies of our allied nations at all levels of command, training and operations in a combat scenario.”

Ryan echoed Mardones’ sense of purpose that the four nations achieved throughout the exercise.

“Let us leave with renewed purpose,” said Ryan.

“Together, we are stronger. Together, we are ready. And together, we will continue to uphold the principles that bind us as partners and friends.