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Doyle Sailors, Colombian Military Serve Community

Navy NewsStand

Story Number: NNS090828-24
Release Date: 8/28/2009 3:33:00 PM

By Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class (SW) Patrick Grieco, Destroyer Squadron 40 Public Affairs

SANTA MARTA, Colombia (NNS) -- Sailors from the guided-missile frigate USS Doyle (FFG 39) and Destroyer Squadron 40 and members of the Colombian military conducted a multinational community relations (COMREL) project at the Buena Aventura school in Santa Marta, Colombia, Aug. 25.

Members of the Colombian Army and Coast Guard assisted Doyle Sailors with repainting the school's nine different classrooms, as well as offloading medical supplies and toys provided by Project Handclasp donations.

Project Handclasp is a Chief of Naval Operations program that allows non-governmental organizations to donate supplies for delivery by the U.S. Navy.

"We are very happy and grateful because these improvements were necessary in order to create a better learning environment for the children," said Sarah Olibella, the school's principal.

"The children needed some assistance," said Operations Specialist 2nd Class Gavin Hawthorne of Doyle's Operations Department. "They might not have the sufficient manpower to help improve their school, so we volunteered to work with the Colombian military to come out here and help them."

Hawthorne said the event was his first COMREL, and he found it very rewarding. He said helping to better the lives of children makes him feel better inside.

"It's always a good thing to pull into a foreign port and help better someone's life," said Hawthorne. "We are out here to build friendships after all. I think putting the Colombian Army and Coast Guard together with the United States Navy for a major event is really rewarding."

Olibella said the Sailors and Colombian service members are examples of a stronger bond between the United States and Colombia.

"I feel extremely excited and grateful because it shows a lasting relationship between our two countries," said Olibella. "This was also very convenient to make it easier for us to strengthen these relations between Colombia and the United States."

Olibella said the school and its staff graciously welcomed the United States to return.

"You are always welcome here," said Olibella.

Doyle is on a six-month deployment to Latin America and the Caribbean as part of Southern Seas 2009 (SS09), in support of U.S. Southern Command's Partnership of the Americas maritime strategy. SS09 focuses on working with partner nations in the region conducting exercises, military to military engagements and theater security cooperation engagements to enhance interoperability. The SS09 deployment includes Doyle, USS Kauffman and USS Ford. SS09 is executed by Destroyer Squadron 40 as Commander Task Group 40.0.

For more news from Destroyer Squadron 40, visit www.navy.mil/local/desron40.