More than 4,500 personnel from 20 countries began a 12-day exercise in Panama City on Sept. 11 to train in a joint, multinational effort to ensure the security of the Panama Canal. U.S. and Panamanian officials held a formal opening ceremony Friday for Fuerzas Aliadas (Allied Forces) Panamax 2009, co-sponsored by U.S. Southern Command and the Government of Panama, in Panama City, Panama. Representatives of the 20 participating nations joined Jose Raul Mulino, Panama's Minister of Government and Justice, and U.S. Army National Guard Brig. Gen. Gerald W. Ketchum, Director of Stability for U.S. Southern Command, at the ceremony. FA Panamax 2009 is one of the largest multinational training exercises in the world, and is taking place in the waters off the coasts of Panama from Sept.
