a health security cooperation engagement designed to strengthen partnerships, boost medical readiness, and improve access to care across the Caribbean and Latin America.

The mission will take place from April 13 to 23 at Ministry of Health-designated facilities in Nieuw Nickerie and Brownsweg, Suriname. U.S. military medical professionals will work alongside Surinamese health care providers to deliver patient care to approximately 800 people, conduct medical knowledge exchanges, and collaborate on best practices aimed at strengthening readiness and interoperability.

“In Suriname, we’re seeing the continuation of a partnership built over multiple years of shared collaboration,” said Col. Brian Gavitt, Command Surgeon for Air Forces Southern. “Through that time, we’ve developed more than interoperability - we’ve built trust. That trust is what allows our teams to integrate seamlessly, work side-by-side, and deliver meaningful impact when it matters most. It’s not just about the care provided during LAMAT, but the relationships we continue to strengthen, enabling us to improve readiness and reinforce health security across the region together.”

U.S. Chargé d’Affaires a.i. Paul Watzlavick noted, “This mission underscores the strength of the U.S.–Suriname partnership and our shared commitment to improving lives. Together, we are delivering care, exchanging expertise, and investing in a healthier, more resilient future for our communities.” Led by U.S. Air Forces Southern, LAMAT 2026 underscores the United States’ enduring commitment to its partners in the Caribbean and Latin America, supporting collaborative approaches to humanitarian assistance and disaster response.

The Suriname engagement will focus on key medical areas including primary care, dentistry, optometry, emergency medicine, and preventive health services. In addition to patient care, the mission will emphasize professional exchanges designed to strengthen long-term medical capacity and regional resilience.  In parallel with the LAMAT mission, Suriname will also host a longstanding security cooperation partner in April, the South Dakota National Guard, under the U.S. National Guard State Partnership Program. South Dakota and Suriname have been partners since 2006 and routinely conduct humanitarian missions and exchanges with the Suriname Armed Forces. In 2024, the South Dakota National Guard supported “Gran Mati,” bringing nearly 40 doctors and dentists to Suriname and helping treat more than 1,500 patients.

During this exchange, South Dakota National Guard personnel will conduct jungle orientation training that practices realistic coordination and communication procedures with a command and control (C2) element. The C2 will work with members of the Suriname Armed Forces to exchange best practices. In addition, South Dakota National Guard personnel will conduct another exchange with the Suriname Armed Forces, focusing on fieldcraft, land navigation, and survival techniques in an austere environment to enhance combined readiness and interoperability.

In total, nearly 70 members of the South Dakota National Guard will participate in two activities in Suriname, arriving via U.S. Air Force C-130 aircraft. Their presence, alongside the LAMAT 2026 mission, an effort backed by more than $600,000 in U.S. support, highlights the breadth of U.S.–Suriname cooperation—from health security to education, infrastructure, and defense partnership—supporting a safer, healthier, and more resilient future for both nations.