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NAVSO Hosts 2008 SOUTHCOM Component Commander's Conference

Navy NewsStand

Story Number: NNS080216-02
Release Date: 2/16/2008 3:01:00 PM

By Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Alan Gragg, U.S. Naval Forces Southern Command Public Affairs

MAYPORT, Fla. (NNS) -- U.S. Southern Command (SOUTHCOM) component commanders gathered in Mayport, Feb. 12-13 for the 2008 SOUTHCOM Component Commander's Conference.

Component Commanders, who are in charge of their respective service's forces throughout SOUTHCOM's area of focus, met with SOUTHCOM Commander, Adm. James Stavridis to plan 2008's military engagements in Latin America.

SOUTHCOM's naval component command, U.S. Naval Forces Southern Command (NAVSO) hosted the event this year.

"It's a great honor and privilege for NAVSO to host the Component Commanders Conference this year," said NAVSO Commander, Rear Adm. James W. Stevenson Jr. "This gathering carries a lot of weight as far as interoperability goes, and helps give us an overview of things going on in the region this year."

Stevenson welcomed the conference of over 60 commanders and staff representatives, shortly before Stavridis addressed the participants about the coming year.

"We're here to discuss our goals for the region, and to align our ideas and objectives for the rest of this year," said Stavridis. "Humanitarian assistance, counter narcotics, building foreign relations, and applying the new U.S. Maritime Strategy are some of our biggest issues for 2008. We're here to make sure these ongoing events go smoothly and that everybody understands how to communicate our objectives to their staff and various assets."

SOUTHCOM's mission is to conduct joint military operations, promote theater security cooperation, and provide humanitarian aid and disaster relief throughout Latin America.

NAVSO's mission is to oversee U.S. maritime operations throughout Latin America, including exercises and deployments, counter illicit trafficking support and Theater Security Cooperation events.

For more information on SOUTHCOM, visit www.southcom.mil/ .

For more information on NAVSO, visit www.cusns.navy.mil .

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