Source: Erasmus Williams
BASSETERRE, ST. KITTS, July 20, 2026 – The U.S. Air Force Southern Command says U.S. Air Force medical professionals working alongside Ministry of Health providers in hospitals, clinics and community outreach events across both islands conducted more than 3,500 patient encounters and over 2,000 medical, dental and surgical procedures while exchanging medical knowledge and strengthening partnerships between the two nations.
LAMAT’s final statement on the 2026 Mission in March said medical teams collaborated across specialities including surgery, dentistry, audiology, biomedical equipment maintenance and nutrition, sharing knowledge and approaches shaped by their respective healthcare systems.
U.S. Air Force Col. Brian Gavitt, Air Forces Southern command surgeon, said missions like LAMAT provide critical real-world experience that strengthens the readiness of military medical forces.
“LAMAT allows our teams to operate in unfamiliar environments, adapt to different systems of care and work side by side with partner nation providers,” Gavitt said. “That experience helps ensure our medical forces are ready to deploy anywhere in the world to provide care during crisis, contingency or conflict.”
Gavitt noted the scale of collaboration achieved during the engagement also included repairing critical medical equipment and exchanging knowledge across multiple specialities.
“At the same time, our Airmen logged more than 4,000 readiness skills, strengthening the operational capability of our medical force.”
It was the third year of working together, and each engagement builds upon the foundation laid before it, one rooted in trust, mutual respect and enduring friendship,” Reina said.
LAMAT 2026 in St. Kitts and Nevis marked the first stop of this year’s mission, which continued across the Caribbean as part of U.S. Southern Command’s global health engagement efforts to strengthen medical readiness while reinforcing trusted partnerships throughout the region
