U.S. MILITARY PRESENCE IN COLOMBIA

(By Alfredo Castro, ANNCOL Bogotá) Though nobody knows for sure exactly how many US personnel are involved in the counterinsurgency campaign in Colombia most sources estimate that between 1,000 and 2,000 personnel are 'in-country' at any one time. Although it is claimed that these men are mainly involved in counter-narcotics missions the truth, according to Colombia experts, is that they are coordinating, organising and, quite possibly, commanding and implementing the war against the insurgency.

Some of the US personnel based in Colombia are involved in training local military units whilst many others are involved in classified 'intelligence' and 'security' projects. Stan Goff, a former US Special Forces instructor in Colombia, has inferred that some US military personnel may also be involved in so-called 'black-ops'.

Although officially the numbers and exact locations of these men remains classified, by using a variety of sources it is at least possible to assess their likely locations and the types of units involved at the current time. To follow is a summary of this information:

- Approximately 100 US troops attached to an unknown military intelligence battalion are based at the Joint Intelligence Center (JIC) at the Tres Esquinas military base in the southern Colombian department of Putumayo.
- Four Special Forces teams from the 7th Special Forces Group training Colombian army counterinsurgency battalions in the southern departments of Putumayo and Caqueta.
- Four Navy SEAL teams training Colombian marines and navy riverine operations personnel in various locations throughout Colombia
- At least three other teams including US military instructor pilots, instructor flight engineers and instructor gunners from the 6th Special Operations Squadron training Colombian army and air force pilots in use of Huey helicopters as well as in tactical operations and close-air support.
- Intelligence personnel at five separate ground based radar installations inside of military bases at San Jose del Guaviare, Marandua, Leticia, Riohacha and San Andres Island.
- An unknown number of personnel are also attached to mobile listening posts that move between various military bases in and around Colombia.
- Abundant special operations security personnel for the numerous locations where US troops are based.
- Roughly 14 retired US military and intelligence officers employed by the US State Department are based in the capital Bogota to advise the Colombian military high command.
- Four separate teams of approximately 50 men, half of whom are US security troops and half of whom are employed by the US State Department, rotate around Colombian military bases at San Jose del Guaviare, Miraflores, Mariquita, Santa Marta and Puerto Asis.
- A team of around 45 ex-navy SEALS are doing riverine training on contract for the US State Department in and around Putumayo department although they are based out of the city of Iquitos in neighbouring Peru.

Other key bases for the US military's counterinsurgency operations in Colombia surround the country and are home to many US intelligence and transport aircraft and hundreds of further US military personnel. These bases include:

- Eloy Alfaro Airport at Manta in Ecuador
- Hato International Airport at Curacao in the Netherlands Antilles
- Reina Beatrix Airport at Aruba in the Netherlands Antilles
- Comalpa International Airport in El Salvador
- Soto Cano Military Airfield in Honduras
- An additional base at Santa Lucia in Peru is almost certainly also used for classified missions into and/or around Colombian border areas. An unknown number of US government personnel are based at Santa Lucia.