AUGUST 21, 2026 – High heat, constant humidity, heavy rainfall, dense vegetation, dangerous animals, and countless insects are what Soldiers from the 1st Battalion 54th Security Force Assistance Brigade (SFAB) endured at the Combined Jungle Training Center-South in Panama from 13 June through 3 July 2026. “The moment I stepped off the bus at the Jungle Operations Training Center in Panama, the humidity hit me immediately,” exclaimed Capt. Christopher Dudley. “In the jungle, your primary adversary isn’t an opposing force; it is the environment itself.”
Jungle Operations Training Course – Panama, was re-established in August 2025 at Cristobal Colon (formerly Fort Sherman) located on the Atlantic entrance to the Panama Canal and students are taught by both U.S. and Panamanian instructors. The course offers two forms of training, a combined course which is 18 days (U.S. Servicemembers and Panamanian security forces), and a non-combined course which is 12 days. The training covers ropes, ruck raft, survival, medical and jungle tactics.
“The Combined Jungle Training Center–South prepares Soldiers to survive, move, and fight in dense jungle terrain,” explained Sgt. First Class Gabrielle Hamelly. “We learned how to sustain ourselves while executing training missions in one of the most challenging operational environments in the world.”
The training consisted of three phases, foundational jungle skills, tactical application and a culmination exercise (CULEX). The foundational jungle skills built the essential baseline required to function effectively under vegetation, tactical application refined their ability to operate as a cohesive element, and the CULEX consisted of a three-day field training event.
“The most significant takeaway from the jungle training was realizing that standard tactics, gear, and movement calculations must be completely overhauled to survive,” explained Capt. Daniel Adcock. “Water procurement, gear and uniform limitations, medical essentials, navigation, and communications all require modifications to work effectively in the dense jungle.”
In addition to the training, there were five tests in which students needed to pass to become graduates. Each event evaluated the Soldier’s physical fitness, mental resiliency and technical proficiency. “To graduate and earn a Jungle Tab students must pass the following, [critical items layout], a combat water survival test, a 5K jungle run, a knots test, a rope systems test, and a ruck run called the Green Mile,” explained Capt. Friedrich Phillip.
Throughout the training Soldiers had the opportunity to work alongside their Panamanian partners which added value to the exercise.
“It was a remarkable opportunity to build trust, share tactics, and enhance our collective interoperability in a real-world environment,” said Dudley. “Facing the challenges of the jungle together not only made us better Soldiers, but it also reinforced the vital importance of our regional partnerships.”
Amongst the course’s graduates included two Soldiers who made history in being the first females to graduate from the Jungle Operations Training Course – Panama, Sgt. First Class Gabrielle Hamelly from the Georgia Army National Guard and Spc. Aurora Pennington from the South Carolina Army National Guard.
“I hope my experience helps encourage other women to pursue challenging military schools like JOTC-P,” said Hamelly. “There are no shortcuts to earning the Jungle Tab, but with determination, preparation, and the right mindset, it is achievable. I hope that by completing this course, I’ve helped pave the way for future female Soldiers to step forward and challenge themselves.”
Through a combined partnership, the Jungle Operations Training Course – Panama leverages the unique and demanding jungle environment of the Isthmus to train and certify leaders and units from the United States, Panama, and other partner nations in basic jungle warfare techniques, survival skills, and interoperability, ensuring they are prepared to fight and win in any tropical environment. The school is dedicated to fostering a multinational center of excellence that promotes shared tactics, mutual understanding, and enduring security cooperation throughout the Western Hemisphere.
Story by Maj. Amanda Russell
Georgia National Guard