An official website of the United States government
A .mil website belongs to an official U.S. Department of Defense organization in the United States.
A lock (lock ) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .mil website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

Home : News : Article View
NEWS | May 12, 2017

Puerto Rico National Guard gives scoop on helicopter buckets to its state partners

By Master Sgt. Luis E. Orengo Puerto Rico National Guard

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico — As part of the State Partnership Program, the Puerto Rico National Guard hosted visitors from the Republic of Honduras and the Dominican Republic on May 3.

The visit occurred at the Puerto Rico National Guard Army Aviation Support Facility in Isla.

Members of the Dominican Republic's Emergency Operations Center, Humanitarian and Rescue Unit, Dominican Republic Air Force and Civil Defense representatives alongside their counterparts from the Republic of Honduras joined to share knowledge and best practices with the PRARNG aviation section in topics such as: high-speed hoist and extraction tactics, procedures in varying types of terrain and environments, as well as combating forest fires.

The State Army Aviation Officer, Col. Jorge Galoffin and the AASF Senior Aviation Sergeant Major, Sgt. Maj. Carlos Salcedo, briefed the participants on the roles, capabilities and experiences of the PRARNG aviation section in emergency situations and the use of specialized equipment such as the helicopter bucket used in firefighting operations.

"The State Partnership Program has become an important tool to foster good international relationships with friendly countries, especially those countries with which we share a similar cultural history," said the adjutant general of Puerto Rico, Brig. Gen. Isabelo Rivera. Honduras and Dominican Republic have been extraordinary partners in this program, and we look forward to keeping this partnership growing for many more years."

After the initial briefings, the visitors moved to the AASF maintenance hangar where they had the chance to take a closer look at the Bambi Bucket" system and ask questions pertaining to its use and effectiveness in fighting forest fires.

The SPP has been building relationships among participant countries for over 20 years. It evolved from a US European Command Joint Contact Team Program conducted in the Baltic Region in 1991.

Today the SPP covers many countries around the world and is administered by the National Guard Bureau. All 50 states, three territories and the District of Columbia have at least one of the 73 SPP partnerships involving 79 nations worldwide. Puerto Rico has been a partner with Honduras since 1998 and with Dominican Republic since 2003.

 

 

Related Articles
Sgt. Alex Beglau and Sgt. Geoffrey Machado, both assigned to 2nd Battalion, 162nd Infantry Regiment, engage targets while Sgt. 1st Class Andrew Graham, Staff Sgt. Michael Kissee and Staff Sgt. Tyrone Morris spot and score from behind at Boardman Training Area, Ore., Sept. 5, 2025. The range officers evaluated competitor performance during the inaugural Oregon State Sniper Qualifier.
Oregon Guard Members Train for Sniper Competition
By Maj. Wayne Clyne, | Sept. 8, 2025
RAYMOND REES NATIONAL GUARD TRAINING CENTER, Ore. – The crack of precision rifles echoed across the high desert as Oregon's best sniper teams gathered for an unprecedented competition designed to elevate the state's...

Soldiers from the 642nd Quartermaster Company prepare meals for troops at Logistical Support Area Lincoln on Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling, Aug. 27, 2025. The dining facility supports hundreds of service members operating as part of Joint Task Force-DC’s security mission in the nation’s capital.
Supply Hub Launches for Guard D.C. Safe and Beautiful Mission
By Spc. Carrol Walter Hughes IV, | Sept. 8, 2025
WASHINGTON – A new logistics center is supporting National Guard members on duty in Washington as part of the D.C. Safe and Beautiful mission.Logistics Support Area Lincoln, or LSA, located on Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling in...

Brig. Gen. Alan R. Gronewold, the Adjutant General, Oregon, shakes hands with Soldiers of the 41st Infantry Brigade Combat Team (IBCT) during their demobilization ceremony at the Salem Armory Auditorium, September 6, 2025, in Salem, Ore. The 41st IBCT returned home from a year-long deployment to Kosovo as part of the NATO-led Kosovo Force (KFOR) mission.
Oregon Guard Welcomes Home its 41st Infantry Brigade Combat Team From Kosovo
By Staff Sgt. Emily Simonson, | Sept. 8, 2025
SALEM, Ore. - The Oregon National Guard welcomed home the 41st Infantry Brigade Combat Team, or IBCT, in a demobilization ceremony Sept. 6 at the Salem Armory Auditorium.The 41st IBCT returned in July from a year-long...