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Africa Partnership Station, Swift Return to Togo

Navy NewsStand

Story Number: NNS090826-16
Release Date: 8/26/2009 9:51:00 PM

By Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class (SW) Dan Meaney, Africa Partnership Station 2009 Public Affairs

LOME, Togo (NNS) -- High Speed Vessel Swift 2 (HSV 2), deployed with embarked Sailors from Togo and other countries from West and Central Africa since July 2009, arrived in Lome, Togo, Aug. 25 for a four-day port visit as part of Africa Partnership Station (APS).

Swift last visited Togo as part of APS 2008 and was the first U.S. Navy ship to visit the country in 15 years.

APS is a multinational initiative developed by Commander, U.S. Naval Forces Europe-Commander, U.S. Naval Forces Africa, which aims to work cooperatively with U.S. and international partners to enhance maritime safety and security on the African continent.

"Our trainers, our students, our crew and our partner countries have worked together in this continuing effort to build maritime domain awareness," said Cmdr. John D. Tolg, APS Swift mission commander.

"The success of this six-week mission is a maritime professional pillar in meeting the [Commander, U.S. Naval Forces Europe-Africa 2009] operational objective to build maritime safety and security throughout the region."

The embarked African students from the navies of Benin, Cameroon, Gabon, Ghana, Nigeria and Togo, trained in visit, board, search and seizure (VBSS) tactics as well as intermediate small boat instruction.

"These Sailors worked together to create theater security for the Gulf of Guinea and develop the relationship that will help them work together in the future," said Chief Boatswain's Mate Willie J. Donald, the supervisor for the embarked training team. "The fact they came from six different countries and worked so well together is one of the things I found most impressive."

While in Togo, Swift's crew will participate in a community relations project, host a shipboard reception, deliver medical supplies as part of Project Handclasp and conduct a recognition ceremony for the Benin and Togolese Sailors.

Swift, homeported in Norfolk, Va., is on a scheduled deployment to the 6th Fleet Area of Responsibility.

To learn more about Africa Partnership Station, visit the APS website at www.c6f.navy.mil/apshome.html.

For more news from Africa Partnership Station, visit www.navy.mil/local/aps.