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Guatemalan Navy Honors Global Fleet Station

Navy NewsStand

Story Number: NNS070820-03
Release Date: 8/20/2007 1:44:00 PM

By Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Cynthia Clark, Commander, U.S. Naval Forces Southern Command Public Affairs

PUERTO BARRIOS, Guatemala (NNS) -- Guatemalan Sailors from Commando Naval Del Caribe in Puerto Barrios held a pass-in-review ceremony Aug. 17 to honor Task Group (TG) 40.9 and mark the completion of the second Global Fleet Station (GFS) visit to Guatemala this summer.

The ceremony was held to thank the joint-service, interagency team for three weeks of subject-matter exchanges, community relations projects, humanitarian aid and social engagements.

Prior to their final day of classes, students from the maintenance management; combat lifesaver; U.S. Marine Corps small unit training; port security and vulnerabilities; leadership principles; and outboard motor maintenance classes, marched in formation to show their gratitude to TG 40.9 for the training they received and the relationships formed during the group’s two visits to the country.

Not only were the students grateful for the effort of the trainers and members of TG 40.9, Guatemalan navy leadership was also very thankful for GFS's presence.

“The time and resources that were dedicated to this training will make our Sailors’ jobs easier and more efficient for the benefit of the Guatemalan people,” said Guatemalan Navy Atlantic Commander Capt. Roberto Campo.

After an exchange of gifts, TG 40.9 Commander Capt. Douglas Wied, returned their gratitude for the productive time GFS has spent in Guatemala.

“This is a great day,” said Wied. “We’ve had a tremendous two weeks working with our partners here. The GFS mission is to build relationships, develop skills and increase maritime security in the region. With all the training that’s taken place, the skill level has been increased significantly, and the relationships we have built have been a pleasure.”

For the trainers and personnel of TG 40.9 the feeling is mutual.

“What they did for us was amazing, professional, and they did it with pride,” said Storekeeper 1st Class (SW) Walter Pomales, TG 40.9 translator. “It was a great way to show us how thankful they were for the training we’ve provided for them.”

TG 40.9, consisting of a command element, the crew of High Speed Vessel Swift (HSV) 2, training teams from Navy Expeditionary Training Command, Coast Guard International Training Division, Marine Corps Mobile Training Team and Department of State representatives, is deployed as part of the pilot GFS to the Caribbean basin in Central America. It is under the operational control of U.S. Naval Forces Southern Command. The mission is to conduct a broad range of theater security cooperation activities with regional maritime services.

TG 40.9 is scheduled to bring their teams to Belize, Dominican Republic, Guatemala, Honduras, Jamaica, Nicaragua and Panama.