A group of soldiers from the 10th Mountain Division pose for a photo during training at Fort Drum, New York, in September 2026. Around 200 soldiers from the 10th Mountain Division will soon be deployed to Panama for jungle warfare training, and observers have speculated if the deployment is related to anti-cartel operations in Latin America. (US Army/Sgt. Keith Matthews)

Is the US Pivoting to Latin America to Fight the Drug Cartels? Here’s What We Know

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The Department of Defense has expressed a desire to refocus the US military on the Western Hemisphere—potentially retraining US troops stationed in Europe for Latin American operations instead.

Last month, two United States Space Force guardians completed the grueling three-week-long Combined Jungle Operations Training Course at Base Aeronaval Cristóbal Colón, known as Fort Sherman before its transfer to Panama. That training followed a July announcement from the United States Army that soldiers who completed the notorious training course would be authorized to wear the prized “Jungle tab” as an official skill badge on their uniforms.

This week, the Department of Defense (DoD) announced that it would send approximately 200 US Army soldiers from Fort Drum, the home of the 10th Mountain Division, to take part in the jungle training. It isn’t clear if all of the personnel will be temporarily trading in their skis for jungle gear, as the base also serves as a major mobilization and training center for tens of thousands........

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