U.S. Marines Lt. Col. Erick Bergiel, Special Purpose

U.S. Marines Lt. Col. Erick Bergiel, Special Purpose Marine Air-Ground Task Force – Southern Command’s executive officer, Rosalidia Ortiz-Sanchez, Semillitas de Esperanza School’s director, and Guatemalan Brig. Gen. Jorge Sierra Morales, commander of the 1st Army Brigade, participate in the tape cutting portion of a closing ceremony marking the completion of SPMAGTF-SC’s logistics element’s work on the school, October 22. The school hosted the ceremony in appreciation of the SPMAGTF-SC’s logistics element’s work in remodeling the campus. During the Marines’ time in San Benito, the Marine engineers repaired roofs, installed shutters, installed ceiling fans, and constructed a fence around the campus for the students’ safety. The ceremony – attended by representatives from Guatemala’s Ministry of Education, the San Benito government, and the Guatemalan military – consisted of song and dance performed by the school’s students, exchanges of gifts, and a meal shared among friends and family. The Marines and Sailors of SPMAGTF-SC are conducting security cooperation training and engineering projects alongside partner nation military forces in Central and South America. The unit is also on standby to provide humanitarian assistance and disaster relief in the event of a hurricane or other emergency in the region. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Sgt. Booker T. Thomas III)