Cooperative Security Location (CSL) Comalapa hosted its annual open house event, June 26, welcoming more than 300 Salvadoran guests. The annual event is held to show appreciation to our Salvadoran partners for their support of the Joint Interagency Task Force-South (JIATF-S) counter-illicit trafficking mission.

Distinguished guests included the Deputy Chief of Mission to the U.S. Embassy in El Salvador, Mark C. Johnson; Salvadoran air force Chief of Staff, Col. Salvador Ernesto Hernandez Vega; Salvadoran air force 2nd Brigade Commander, Col. Manuel Fabio Calderon; and Salvadoran Naval Base La Union Commanding Officer, Capt. Exon Oswaldo Ascencio Albeño. Along with the distinguished guests, CSL also hosted families from the Salvadoran air force, Comision Ejecutiva Portuaria Autonoma (CEPA), and the U.S. Embassy.

"Thanks to your support, flights from CSL have interrupted over 100,000 kilograms of cocaine with an estimated street value of more than $3 billion dollars," said Johnson.

The CSL flight line featured several aircraft including the U.S. Navy maritime patrol aircraft P-3C Orion, the U.S. Coast Guard C-130H Hercules, the U.S. Air Force DHC-8, along with the A-37 Dragon-Fly and the OB-2 Sky-Master aircraft from the Salvadoran Second Air Brigade.

The event treated guests to guided tours of the aircraft, music from a Salvadoran air force band and traditional Salvadoran food. A local Salvadoran fire truck conducted a live demonstration of its capabilities for guests. Guests were served traditional Savaldoran dishes of pupusas and tamales for lunch and hot dogs were grilled by the CSL Chief's Mess.

"Playing in the water, and eating the minutas (snow cone) were the best part of the day," said Carlo Cornejo Jr, a visiting local youth.

The open house was a successful event that demonstrated the importance of having strong relationships with the local community.

"It's an honor and a privilege to conduct this annual event," said CSL Comalapa Command Senior Chief William Rodriguez. "This is a small token of gratitude to show our appreciation to our friends who support us daily."

CSL Comalapa provides critical logistics, security, infrastructure, and operational support to U.S. Navy P-3, U.S. Coast Guard C-130, U.S. Air Force's Dash-8 aircrafts and forward deployed U.S. and partner nation aviation assets participating in JIATF-S assigned counter-narcotic/illicit trafficking operations, Operation Martillo, U.S. Naval Forces Southern Command-directed humanitarian missions, and search-and-rescue efforts.

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