“Joint Task Force Western Hemisphere is SOUTHCOM’s action arm for confronting threats across the hemisphere,” Donovan said. The task force will work with 18 partner nations, members of the 5-month-old Americas Counter Cartel Coalition, which includes El Salvador, Ecuador and Honduras. The 12th Air Force, out of Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Ariz., played a key role in Southern Spear and will continue that work with JTF-WH. U.S. Space Force’s space component of SOUTHCOM became operational on Dec. 1, 2025, about a month before the Jan. 3 raid to capture Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, Air & Space Forces Magazine previously reported. Audio of this article is brought to you by the Air & Space Forces Association, honoring and supporting our Airmen, Guardians, and their families.