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Boxer Exemplifying Maritime Strategy, Arrives in El Salvador

Navy NewsStand

Story Number: NNS080519-19
Release Date: 5/19/2008 4:55:00 PM

By Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class (SW/AW) Michael E. Miller Jr., USS Boxer Public Affairs

ACAJUTLA, El Salvador (NNS) -- USS Boxer (LHD 4) along with various embarked units and non-governmental organizations (NGO) arrived in Acajutla, May 19 for the second stop of Continuing Promise (CP) 2008.

CP is a collaborative effort between the United States and partner militaries, non-governmental organizations and partner-nation support organizations to build strong partnerships that can be called upon in the event of a regional situation requiring cooperative solutions.

CP's medical contingent, led by the embarked Fleet Surgical Team (FST) 5, will spend six work days alongside local medical providers at El Salvador's Miravalle and El Sunza schools providing primary medical care to nearly 6,000 Salvadoran citizens. The team will also spend 10 days at El Salvador's Sonsonate Regional Hospital performing hospital equipment repairs and holding education and training to hospital staff, while also sharing ideas and experiences on best practices for long-term public health solutions.

While anchored off the coastline, Boxer's medical facilities will host 10 surgical patients a day across nine days. Surgeries will include cyst and gallbladder removal and minor hernia repair.

"Missions like this really underline the fact that their success is our success," said Boxer's Commanding Officer, Capt. Matthew J. McCloskey. "By working side-by-side with our friends in El Salvador, they can learn how we work, we can learn how they work and when emergent situations arise, we can both respond more efficiently by already understanding each other's capabilities."

The embarked Navy Seabee Construction Battalion Maintenance Unit (CBMU) 303 will join local civil engineers for structure renovations across three locations, along with road and drainage repair.

At El Salvador's El Sunza schoolhouse, CBMU 303 and partner-nation civil engineers will provide plumbing and sewage repairs, build an entirely new kitchen structure as well as install new lighting, electrical outlets and ceiling fans throughout the compound.

At the school in Miravalle, the team will provide running water, new roofing and completely renovate the facility's kitchen structure.

"The Navy is dedicated to working together with our partners," said Amphibious Squadron 5 Commander, Peter K. Dallman, commodore the mission commander for CP 2008. "By working alongside our Salvadoran neighbors, we can collectively address medical and engineering concerns common to the region, while also developing long-term cooperative solutions."

The Pacific Phase of CP is one of two humanitarian and civic assistance deployments planned for the United States Southern Command area of focus for 2008. The second CP deployment will be conducted by USS Kearsarge (LHD 3) in the Caribbean.

CP exemplifies the U.S. maritime strategy, which emphasizes deploying forces to build confidence and trust among nations through collective maritime security efforts that focus on common threats and mutual interests.

Embarked units and organizations aboard Boxer for CP include Amphibious Squadron 5, FST 5, U.S. Public Health Service, Project Hope, Project Handclasp, Navy Seabee Construction Battalion Maintenance Unit 303, Helicopter Mine Countermeasures Squadron 14, Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron 764, Tactical Air Control Squadron 11, Special Marine Air Ground Task Force 24, Helicopter Sea Combat Support Squadron 23, Assault Craft Unit 1, Fleet Survey Team and Beach Master Unit 1.

For more news from USS Boxer, visit www.navy.mil/local/lhd4/.