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NAVSO Completes Busy Deployment Season

Navy NewsStand

Story Number: NNS071016-13
Release Date: 10/16/2007 2:34:00 PM

By Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class (SW) Holly Boynton, U.S. Naval Forces Southern Command Public Affairs

MAYPORT, Fla. (NNS) -- U.S. Naval Forces Southern Command (NAVSO) wrapped up its deployment year with the departure of USNS Comfort (T-AH 20) from the U.S. Southern Command (SOUTHCOM) area of focus Oct. 15.

NAVSO oversaw three planned deployments involving seven ships and 10 helicopters visiting 22 countries, participating in four major exercises; one Operation Enduring Freedom support mission; and a humanitarian assistance mission in Nicaragua to help Hurricane Felix victims.

"This year’s deployments and operations were a resounding success," said Commander, U.S. Naval Forces Southern Command, Rear Adm. James W. Stevenson Jr. “We continued our focus on persistent presence, brought new capabilities to the region and greatly enhanced interoperability throughout Latin America and the Caribbean. This year’s activity provides a template for years to come.”

The planned deployments included Partnership of the Americas (POA) 2007, which included major exercises: UNITAS Atlantic in Argentina, Teamwork South off the coast of Chile, UNITAS Pacific off the coast of Peru, PANAMAX in Panama; six bilateral exercises, three U.S. Marine Corps engagements and theater security cooperation events throughout the region.

Global Fleet Station (GFS), was a pilot deployment for an operational concept that served as an enabler for the Chief of Naval Operation’s "1,000-ship Navy" concept, made 12 visits to seven countries.

The final scheduled deployment of the year was Comfort’s humanitarian medical assistance and training deployment, which provided health services to nearly 100,000 patients, more than 32,000 immunizations and in excess of 1,100 surgical procedures.

POA 2007 began April 5, with the arrival of Capt. Randy Snyder, commander, Destroyer Squadron 40, and members of his staff, on board USS Pearl Harbor (LSD 52) in Vasco Nunez de Balboa, Panama. Pearl Harbor served as the flag ship for Task Group 40.0, which included USS Mitscher (DDG 57), USS Samuel B. Roberts (FFG 58), and the Chilean Frigate Almirante Latorre (FFG 14).

Task Group 40.0 traveled throughout Latin America and the Caribbean, conducting multiple training exercises at sea with partner nations in the region, refining teamwork and coordination, and strengthening relationships between nations. This teamwork also extended to events ashore for community relations projects, including renovating a schoolhouse, painting churches, and donating supplies to orphanages. The Task Group circumnavigated South America and conducted exercises and theater security cooperation events with 16 countries in the Caribbean, South America, and Central America. The deployment concluded in September.

The devastating effects of Hurricane Felix along the coast of Nicaragua Sept. 4 created a need for humanitarian assistance and disaster relief to thousands. USS Wasp (LHD 1), which was participating in the exercise PANAMAX 07, left Panama Sept. 5 to help deliver relief supplies to the Nicaraguan hurricane victims. Samuel B. Roberts relieved Wasp Sept. 9 and continued the delivery of supplies those in need. The embarked helicopter squadrons on Wasp and Samuel B. Roberts provided valuable assistance, conducting 34 medical evacuations of critically injured victims and airlifting 125,000 pounds of relief supplies to shore.

Simultaneously during POA 2007, GFS departed Mayport, Fla. April 25 onboard High Speed Vessel 2 Swift with embarked Task Force 40.9 command element, under the command of Capt. Douglas Wied. Training teams from the Navy, U.S. Coast Guard, U.S. Marine Corps, and support staff from the Department of State traveled to Belize, Dominican Republic, Guatemala, Honduras, Jamaica, Nicaragua and Panama to provide instruction and training to partner nation forces in a variety of subjects. Training in seamanship, small-boat handling, navigation, non-commissioned officer leadership, and security assessments gave partner nation navy, coast guard and port operation personnel valuable skills for increasing maritime security in the region. The pilot deployment concluded Sept. 30.

Another first for the U.S. Southern Command region in 2007 was the USNS Comfort humanitarian medical assistance and training deployment from June 14–Oct. 15, which visited 12 nations in Central and South America and the Caribbean. Capt. Bob Kapcio, Commander, Destroyer Squadron 24, served as Comfort’s mission commander for their deployment. Nearly 750 military and civilian medical personnel, staff and civilian mariners traveled onboard the hospital ship to provide free medical care, biomedical equipment repair and training, and community relations service projects to Belize, Colombia, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Guyana, Haiti, Nicaragua, Panama, Peru, Suriname, and Trinidad and Tobago. An essential element of this deployment was the participation of non-government organizations such as Project Hope and Operation Smile, which both sent volunteers to the mission.

“NAVSO continues to be a strong, dynamic presence in the SOUTHCOM region,” said Stevenson. “We showed what we’re capable of during 2007, and will continue to forge valuable relationships with our partner nations in Latin America and the Caribbean in the years to come.”