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Colombian Delegates Meet with U.S. Navy to Plan 2008 Interactions

Navy NewsStand

Story Number: NNS080207-21
Release Date: 2/7/2008 3:08:00 PM

By Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class (SW) Holly Boynton, U.S. Naval Forces Southern Command Public Affairs

MAYPORT, Fla. (NNS) -- Representatives from the Colombian Armada, which includes coast guard and marine corps, met with their U.S. Navy, Army, and Marine Corps counterparts during the Colombian Operational Naval Committee (ONC) conference at Naval Station Mayport, Feb. 4-5.

ONC's are hosted on a rotating basis between U.S. Naval Forces Southern Command (NAVSO) in Mayport, and the partner navy, meeting annually to plan for interactions between the U.S. Navy and partner nations in South America. The attendees discuss and plan for upcoming activities in 2008, to include exercises, foreign military sales and Theater Security Cooperation issues.

At the conclusion of each ONC, the senior delegate from each country signs a memorandum of understanding (MOU). This is a summation of the various items discussed. The 2008 Colombia ONC MOU was signed by Colombian Coast Guard Commander, Capt. Hugo M. Ortiz and Capt. Steve Blaisdell, NAVSO director of exercises and theater security cooperation.

"This is another venue to focus on mutual cooperation and security and to further build upon personal friendships that bond our navies together," said Blaisdell.

NAVSO frequently hosts foreign military members in a continuing effort to strengthen ties throughout South America and the Caribbean to support theater security cooperation and the U.S. Maritime Strategy.

NAVSO, the naval component commander for U.S. Southern Command, oversees U.S. maritime operations throughout South America, including exercises and deployments; counter illicit trafficking support, and Theater Security Cooperation events such as community relations projects.

For more news from Commander, U.S. Naval Forces Southern Command, visit www.navy.mil/local/cusns/.