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APS Nashville Kicks Off Mission in Senegal

Navy NewsStand

Story Number: NNS090204-02
Release Date: 2/4/2009 1:25:00 PM

By Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Charles L. Ludwig, Africa Partnership Nashville Public Affairs

DAKAR, Senegal (NNS) -- USS Nashville (LPD 13), along with its embarked Destroyer Squadron 60 and international staff, arrived in Dakar, Senegal, Feb. 3 for the in-country kickoff of Africa Partnership Station (APS) Nashville.

The second "banner" deployment of its kind, APS Nashville has brought together an international team of experts in a variety of military areas and a handful of civilian fields such as fisheries management and environmental stewardship.

"This initiative has been built at the request of African partners, and we will execute it side-by-side with an embarked team of officers and civilian specialists from 20 different countries," said Capt. Cindy Thebaud, APS Nashville commander. "This fact should send a clear message. The responsibility of maritime security truly is a global effort."

The integration of international officers with the Nashville crew plays a big part in accomplishing the APS Nashville mission, Commanding Officer Capt. Tushar Tembe explained.

"When you look throughout our ship, you now see a diverse staff of naval officers all wearing the different uniforms of their countries," Tembe said. "Africa Partnership Station has brought us all together to work a unified effort…at the end of the workday; we are all just maritime professionals, all sailors working side-by-side. It's a tremendous example for my crew."

APS training in Senegal will also include professional exchanges on seamanship and maritime awareness. Those training sessions, specifically tailored to requests made by Senegalese officials, are among the most important parts of the port stop, said Senegalese Navy Lt. Jean Pierre Tine, a member of APS international staff.

"We are very happy to participate in this great institute for all the African partners," Tine said. "We were given the opportunity to select the courses, so what we are doing here is definitely going to help Senegal. The training will help our people to be more skillful in what they do and more aware of what is happening around the world."

The APS mission is about more than training, however. While in Senegal, Sailors will have the opportunity to participate in several community relations (COMREL) projects, including work on a medical clinic and several Project Handclasp initiatives.

APS Nashville is an international initiative developed by Naval Forces Europe and Naval Forces Africa that aims to enhance maritime safety and security in West and Central Africa. It is one of the keys to the chief of naval operations' maritime strategy.

Besides Senegal, the APS team will make port calls in four other West African countries – Ghana, Nigeria, Cameroon and Gabon.

For questions regarding Africa Partnership Station Nashville, visit www.c6f.navy.mil/aps_web/index.htm.

For more news from COMNAVEUR/COMSIXTHFLT, visit www.navy.mil/local/naveur/.