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Africa Partnership Station Visits Seventh Port

Navy NewsStand

Story Number: NNS080111-08
Release Date: 1/11/2008 3:57:00 PM

By Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class (SW/AW) Elizabeth Merriam, Africa Partnership Station Public Affairs

PORT GENTILE, Gabon (NNS) -- Africa Partnership Station (APS) arrived here Jan. 10, for its second port visit to Gabon and the seventh port visit aboard Amphibious Dock Landing Ship USS Fort McHenry (LSD 43).

As part of an international effort to support African coastal nations with maritime safety and security, the first APS deployed on Fort McHenry November 2007.

So far, APS has visited Senegal, Ghana and Cameroon, performing multiple events in order to bolster the common goals of improving maritime security and safety through partnership and collaboration. APS is an international effort to enhance regional and maritime safety and security in West and Central Africa.

"We are visiting Port Gentile mainly because that's where the biggest concentration of Gabonese Marines and Navy are," said Lt. Cmdr. Marcel Mihindou of the Gabonese Navy. "We are heading there to train as many people as we can. Right now we expect over a hundred Gabonese military people will be trained on board."

APS employs an international staff of trainers from both military and civilian positions throughout African and European countries in conjunction with the United States.

The APS staff is working together to help it's African partners increase their maritime safety and security through a series of training to help combat threats to the countries well being such as illegal fishing and human and drug trafficking.

"APS has much to offer to many different countries. I am sure the naval forces in Gabon will have so much to learn from," Mihindou said.

The training will consist of courses such as: seamanship; leadership; medical response; small boat repair; visit, board, search and seizure; and damage control.

In addition to training, APS is scheduled to be performing community relations projects to try and give back to the people of the community.

"I'm very happy that we have very different people both civilians and military helping and I think APS will benefit the populace at large," Mihindou said.

APS 2007 is a U.S. Naval Forces Europe-led initiative, executed by a multi-national staff aboard Fort McHenry and High Speed Vessel 2 Swift.

Commander Task Group 60.4 and training teams from various U.S. and European military commands, as well as governmental and non-governmental organizations are embarked on board Fort McHenry to enhance cooperative partnerships with regional maritime services in West and Central Africa and the Gulf of Guinea on a seven-month deployment.

For more news from USS Fort McHenry, visit www.navy.mil/local/lsd43/.