southern Command Commander Addresses Troops Deployed Against Caribbean Drug Cartels
A recently released video shows U.S.Southern Command Commander Alvin Holsey delivering a message to service members aboard the USS Iwo Jima, currently deployed in the Caribbean.The deployment is focused on countering drug cartels operating in the region, including the Cartel of the Suns, which the previous administration designated as a terrorist organization.
Commander holsey visited the Iwo Jima on Wednesday to observe operations and reinforce the command’s priorities: dismantling drug trafficking networks and safeguarding national security. In the video, he expressed gratitude to the troops for their service.
“Today I want to come aboard just to say thank you,” Holsey stated. “I am honored to be aboard the Iwo today, which carries with it a proud legacy that symbolizes American courage, sacrifice and determination. Ordinary people don’t understand what we do, and I tell them that what we do is diffrent.We aspire to their greatness and beleive in their teamwork.”
Holsey emphasized the combat readiness of the Southern Command and its core mission. “To be clear, we are a combat organization. Our most fundamental duty is to support and defend the Constitution and ensure the safety and security of the american people. And the team that is here is the epitome of a lethal combat force and a lethal combat team,” he declared.
Reflecting on his 37 years of service, Holsey expressed pride in serving alongside “some of America’s best.” he concluded with a direct challenge to the troops: “As you move forward, I will tell you that I expect you to act with professionalism, determination and precision.Be strong, be bold and fight.”
To date, operations conducted by the Southern Command, in collaboration with the U.S. War Department and other agencies, have resulted in the apprehension of nearly 70 suspected drug traffickers and the seizure of over 15 vessels in the Caribbean and Eastern Pacific.