LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – In 2021, representatives of the Guatemalan Army visited Little Rock, Arkansas, to see how the state responds to natural disasters as part of a Humanitarian Assistance/Disaster Response Conference with the Arkansas National Guard. During the conference, the Guatemalan delegation visited Civil Air Patrol’s (CAP) Arkansas Wing headquarters, toured CAP aircraft and received a briefing on how CAP contributes to the state’s natural disasters with an emphasis on the 2019 Arkansas River floods.
Top: Col. Robert Allison toured the Guatemalan Humanitarian Response Battalion and observed a capabilities demonstration. (All photos: Col. Robert Allison)
Thanks to that visit, a delegation from Arkansas was invited to the next Humanitarian Assistance/Disaster Response (HA/DR) Conference, which was held on July 27-29, 2022, in Guatemala City, Guatemala. The Arkansas delegation included three members of the Arkansas Army National Guard (ARANG), two from the Arkansas Department of Emergency Management (ADEM), and one CAP member.
Among the Arkansas delegation was Col. Derald Neugebauer, ARANG Director of Military Support, who briefed on a disaster that could potential affect Arkansas and neighboring states. Col. Neugebauer addressed how Arkansas plans for contingencies with partner agencies such as Civil Air Patrol.
Arkansas Wing Commander Col. Robert Allison, the CAP representative, gave a briefing on the Wing’s contribution to Arkansas disaster relief. In addition to the Arkansas River flooding, the Wing used the Waldo imaging system that not only gave real time damage assessment but also showed the definitive track of the tornado that struck Jonesboro, Arkansas, in March 2021. Col. Allison reported that the Guatemalans were amazed at what CAP does with a largely unpaid volunteer force.
This was an unprecedented event and a first for Arkansas Wing. Regularly, cadets get to travel overseas for the International Cadet Exchange Program. However, it is not very often that a CAP senior member travels outside of the United States in support of CAP.
Col. Allison heard briefings from the Guatemalans on how they react to the diverse natural disasters that affect their country yearly, more than occur in Arkansas. He also experienced some of their training programs. Col. Allison said, “There are still many similarities and it’s an opportunity to learn from each other, as well as support the Arkansas National Guard’s partner nation. Guatemala deals with flooding, earthquakes, hurricanes, and volcanoes on a regular basis.”
As Arkansas Wing has progressed by becoming a more involved partner in disaster relief issues around the state, new opportunities for both the ARANG and CAP have arisen from that relationship. During the historic 2019 Arkansas River flooding, CAP members flew nearly twenty disaster assessment missions, gathering information and photographic evidence of the flood’s impact on the Ft. Smith and surrounding areas, which allowed the National Guard to use their resources elsewhere. Besides accomplishing more, the National Guard got quality information at a fraction of the cost of using their own aircraft.
This conference was part of the US Southern Command’s (USSOUTHCOM) initiative to strengthen relations with Guatemala, improve interoperability, and ensure that Guatemala remains a strong partner within the region.