In hopes to strengthen the partnership between the United States of America and nations south of their border, the United States came to Guyana as part of “Operation Southern Partner (OSP).” The initiative, which is in its second year, took place in seven Caribbean and Latin American nations.

OSP takes more than 60 airmen from across the United States Air Force (USAF) and provides intensive, periodic subject matter exchanges with the partner nations’ respective Air Forces. OSP is led by the Twelfth Air Force (Air Forces Southern), a branch within the United States Air Force. In a statement released by the Twelfth Air Force, they said that the exchanges are meant to have long term benefits to the partnering nations, even in areas outside the usual military focus.

OSP touched down in Guyana on May 31, 2009, at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport, using the USAF C-130, also known as Hercules.

In Greek mythology Hercules, the son of the gods Hera and Zeus, was the strongest man in all of Greece. The C-130 is the Hercules of the aircraft world; it is capable of operating on any landing strip and is the prime transport within the US Army for dropping troops and equipment in hostile areas.   

Hercules using its loading ramp and door can accommodate a wide variety of oversized cargo, including everything from utility helicopters to utility HUMVEES. The Hercules’ interior design is flexible, which allows it to be configured for many different missions, allowing the one aircraft to perform many roles throughout the (USAF). The aircraft that entered Guyana was built in 2001 manned by a staff of 3 and is captained by Maj. Daniel Pemberton.

OSP- Caribbean includes exchanges covering dozens of Air Force career specialties interfacing with their counterparts in Guyana, Barbados, St. Lucia, Grenada, Trinidad and Tobago, Jamaica and Belize.

Operation Southern Partner was initiated by the Air Forces Southern Operations Division to complement ongoing US Southern Command Theatre Security Cooperation events. The first OSP took place among Chile, Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay in October 2008.