Participants in PANAMAX 2015 wrapped a busy day of operational planning on Aug. 3 by celebrating 100 years of the Navy Reserve.

More than 60 Navy Reservists attended the ceremony. Many were either participants in the exercise or served as support staff providing administrative, information technology, linguistic, and logistical support to the 75 planners from 19 partner nations participating in the 12-day exercise.

Rear Adm. George Ballance, commander of U.S. Naval Forces Southern Command and commander of U.S. 4th Fleet (COMUSNAVSO/C4F), presided over the ceremony and shared the importance of navy reservists to the execution of the command's mission.

"There are over 57,000 navy reservists serving our nation today," Ballance said. "COMUSNAVSO/C4F has a team of over 200 reservists that support us in executing our mission. They support us every day by employing critical skills here at headquarters as well as in the Southern Command area of responsibility, helping to build unity with our partners and to support security and stability in the region."

Rear Adm. Jon Matheson, COMUSNAVSO/C4F's deputy commander, was joined by the youngest serving Sailor, Information Technician Seaman Genesis Riossanchez, 20, in the ceremonial cutting of the cake by the most senior and youngest serving members. Riossanchez is a member of the Navy Reserve COMUSNAVSO/C4F Det Alpha unit, based in San Juan, Puerto Rico.

"It has been an honor to serve in the Navy for 32 years," said Matheson. "As a reservist myself, I am proud of our heritage and am looking forward to seeing the great work and contributions of the next generation of reserve Sailors in service to our nation."

Capt. Joanna Sarmiento, commanding officer of Navy Reserve COMUSNAVSO/C4F unit, served as the ceremony's emcee. "Since 1915, Navy Reservists have served in every conflict our nation has found itself engaged and has served as a critical strategic asset to ensure our nation's security and promoted and defended peace and security around the world," she said.

The PANAMAX 2015 exercise, which is scheduled to run July 27 - Aug. 7, includes participants from 19 nations: Belize, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, France, Jamaica, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, the United Kingdom, and the United States.

U.S. Naval Forces Southern Command, the exercise host, supports U.S. Southern Command's joint and combined military operations by employing maritime forces in cooperative maritime security operations in order to maintain access, enhance interoperability, and build enduring partnerships in order to enhance regional security and promote peace, stability, and prosperity in the Caribbean, Central and South American regions.

For more news from U.S. Naval Forces Southern Command & U.S. 4th Fleet, visit www.navy.mil/.