Sailors and Marines from 20 partner nations attend the official opening ceremony of UNITAS LXIV, at the Colombian Naval Museum, Cartagena, Colombia, July 12, 2023. UNITAS, which is Latin for “unity,” was conceived in 1959 and has taken place annually since first conducted in 1960. This year marks the 64th iteration of the world’s longest-running annual multinational maritime exercise. Additionally, this year the Colombian Navy will celebrate its bicentennial. The exercise focuses on enhancing interoperability amongst the partnered nations and joint forces during littoral and amphibious operations in order to build on existing regional partnerships and create new enduring relationships that promote peace, stability and prosperity in the U.S. Southern Command’s area of responsibility. - Sailors and Marines from 20 partner nations attend the official opening ceremony of UNITAS LXIV, at the Colombian Naval Museum, Cartagena, Colombia, July 12, 2023. UNITAS, which is Latin for “unity,” was conceived in 1959 and has taken place annually since first conducted in 1960. This year marks the 64th iteration of the world’s longest-running annual multinational maritime exercise. Additionally, this year the Colombian Navy will celebrate its bicentennial. The exercise focuses on enhancing interoperability amongst the partnered nations and joint forces during littoral and amphibious operations in order to build on existing regional partnerships and create new enduring relationships that promote peace, stability and prosperity in the U.S. Southern Command’s area of responsibility.

U.S. Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Charisse Briguera, right, a rifle Marine with Delta Company, 4th Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion, 4th Marine Division, in support of Special Purpose Marine Air-Ground Task Force UNITAS LXIII poses for a photo with Marina Milagros Correa (Private Uruguayan Marine Corps) during exercise UNITAS LXIII aboard the amphibious transport dock ship USS Mesa Verde (LPD 19), Sept. 10, 2022. UNITAS trains forces to conduct joint maritime operations through the execution of anti-surface, anti-submarine, anti-air, amphibious, and electronic warfare operations that enhance warfighting proficiency and increase interoperability among participating navy and marine forces. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. David Intriago) - U.S. Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Charisse Briguera, right, a rifle Marine with Delta Company, 4th Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion, 4th Marine Division, in support of Special Purpose Marine Air-Ground Task Force UNITAS LXIII poses for a photo with Marina Milagros Correa (Private Uruguayan Marine Corps) during exercise UNITAS LXIII aboard the amphibious transport dock ship USS Mesa Verde (LPD 19), Sept. 10, 2022. UNITAS trains forces to conduct joint maritime operations through the execution of anti-surface, anti-submarine, anti-air, amphibious, and electronic warfare operations that enhance warfighting proficiency and increase interoperability among participating navy and marine forces. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. David Intriago)

Peruvian marines operate amphibious armored vehicles, from ship-to-shore during an amphibious landing as part of UNITAS LXII in Salinas, Peru, Oct. 2, 2021. UNITAS is the world's longest-running maritime exercise. Hosted this year by Peru, it brings together multinational forces from twenty countries and includes 29 ships, four submarines, and twenty aircraft conducting operations off the coast of Lima and in the jungles of Iquitos. The exercise trains forces to conduct joint maritime operations and focuses on strengthening partnerships and increasing interoperability and capability between participating naval and marine forces. - Peruvian marines operate amphibious armored vehicles, from ship-to-shore during an amphibious landing as part of UNITAS LXII in Salinas, Peru, Oct. 2, 2021. UNITAS is the world's longest-running maritime exercise. Hosted this year by Peru, it brings together multinational forces from twenty countries and includes 29 ships, four submarines, and twenty aircraft conducting operations off the coast of Lima and in the jungles of Iquitos. The exercise trains forces to conduct joint maritime operations and focuses on strengthening partnerships and increasing interoperability and capability between participating naval and marine forces.

Lance Cpl. Anthony Bryan, a water support technician with Special Purpose Marine Air-Ground Task Force - Southern Command, reviews recently purified water’s chlorine level during the command post exercise at Camp Lejeune, N.C., April 8, 2020. Water support technician Marines used lightweight water purification systems to purify water before providing it to the combat engineer Marines working at another site. The CPX increases readiness and challenges SPMAGTF-SC command and control, communications and timely decision-making capabilities through simulated real-world scenarios. SPMAGTF-SC will be deployed into the Southern Command area of operation to provide crisis response preparedness efforts, security cooperation training and engineering events to help strengthen relations with partner nations throughout Central and South America. Bryan is a native of Eugene, Oregon. - Lance Cpl. Anthony Bryan, a water support technician with Special Purpose Marine Air-Ground Task Force - Southern Command, reviews recently purified water’s chlorine level during the command post exercise at Camp Lejeune, N.C., April 8, 2020. Water support technician Marines used lightweight water purification systems to purify water before providing it to the combat engineer Marines working at another site. The CPX increases readiness and challenges SPMAGTF-SC command and control, communications and timely decision-making capabilities through simulated real-world scenarios. SPMAGTF-SC will be deployed into the Southern Command area of operation to provide crisis response preparedness efforts, security cooperation training and engineering events to help strengthen relations with partner nations throughout Central and South America. Bryan is a native of Eugene, Oregon.